Tanzania charges hundreds of people with treason after disputed election

Protesters hold a placard with a picture of the augmented face of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, during a picket where about 50 Tanzanians living in Cape Town protested against the recent actions by the Tanzanian Government during that country's presidential election. Photo / Rodger Bosch, AFP

Tanzania has charged more than 200 people with treason, a lawyer and judicial sources told AFP, with the opposition saying that yet another of their leaders had been arrested.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the October 29 poll with 98% of the vote, according to the electoral commission, but the opposition, which was barred from participating, has branded the election a “sham”.

Violent protests broke out across the east African country on election day, with sources indicating hundreds – if not thousands – of people may have been killed.

At the same time, a days-long internet shutdown hampered the release of verified information.

On Friday local time, hundreds of people appeared in court in the economic hub of Dar es Salaam.

“All of these ladies and gentlemen, numbering more than 250 in total, were arraigned in three separate cases ... and they’re all charged with two sets of offences,” lawyer Peter Kibatala told AFP.

“The first set of offence is a conspiracy to commit treason. And the second set of offences is treason itself,” he said.

Judicial sources in the court told AFP they knew of at least 240 people charged.

Opposition party Chadema says at least 800 people were killed in the election violence.

Diplomatic and security sources have backed that estimate, adding there are credible reports the numbers could reach thousands.

The authorities have so far declined to release any toll for dead or injured.

Chadema said that Deputy Secretary General Amani Golugwa had been arrested by police in Arusha.

“The arrest of the Deputy Secretary General means that only three of the party’s six top leaders remain free,” the party said in a statement on X.

Leader Tundu Lissu has been in detention since April facing treason charges, with the party’s vice-chairman John Heche detained in October, and later charged with “terrorism acts”.

“We understand that the Government intends to charge our leaders with treason in an attempt to cripple the Party’s leadership and paralyse its operations,” Chadema added.

It follows a police warning that the force is looking for opposition party leaders – including secretary general John Mnyika, his deputy Amani Golugwa, and spokesperson Brenda Rupia – in connection with the violence.

“We call on them to surrender to the police immediately,” Tanzania police spokesperson David Misime said in a statement.

- Agence France-Presse