Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), has urged the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an independent probe into what it terms as “mass killings” of citizens by security forces following last week’s disputed presidential election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, November 2, 2025, CHADEMA Secretary General John Mnyika condemned the government’s handling of protests and called for international intervention to restore peace and justice.

“We advise and appeal to the International Community, especially the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC), to urgently conduct an independent investigation into these killings committed by the government of Tanzania against its citizens and to take appropriate action,”

“We strongly condemn the unnecessary use of force by the security organs of Tanzania against demonstrators who chose to exercise their constitutional and legal right to peacefully protest against the illegal exercise of the so-called elections,” Mnyika said.

Earlier, Amnesty International sounded an alarm over escalating repression in the country.

Violence and internet shutdown

The political tension follows the October 29, 2025 general elections in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 97.66 per cent of the votes.

CHADEMA, which was barred from participating after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct, dismissed the results as fabricated. “These results have no basis in reality, as the truth is that no genuine election took place in Tanzania,” Mnyika stated.

The party claimed that hundreds of people had died nationwide during the protests, citing hospital reports and eyewitness accounts.

“Following the existence of pictures and videos showing dead bodies scattered on the streets and reports that some hospitals are overwhelmed by corpses, a situation indicating that mass killings are taking place in Tanzania under the oppressive regime of Samia Suluhu Hassan and her party,” the statement read.

CHADEMA further cited that police were collecting bodies from hospitals to conceal evidence and that injured civilians could not access medical care due to transport and communication challenges. The ongoing internet shutdown, now in its fourth day, has worsened the communication blackout.

“We call upon the government to immediately restore internet services to facilitate citizens’ communication and enable the provision of other social services more easily,” Mnyika urged.

Also watch: Governor Ole Lenku urges Kenyans to avoid Tanzania’s protests.

Global reaction and government response

The crisis has drawn international concern. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a “thorough and impartial investigation” into the violence, while the European Union and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have expressed alarm over the reports.

Tanzania’s Foreign Ministry has denied allegations of excessive force, stating that no official casualty figures have been confirmed. However, CHADEMA insists that without electoral reforms and accountability, the country cannot move forward.

“Chadema does not recognise Samia Suluhu Hassan as the President of the United Republic of Tanzania,” the party said, urging the international community not to legitimise her leadership.