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According to the primary rival party, about 700 citizens have supposedly been killed during a three-day period of voting clashes in the East African nation.

Violence Breaks Out on Voting Day

Uprisings erupted on Wednesday over allegations that protesters called the stifling of the opposition after the exclusion of major candidates from the election contest.

Casualty Estimates Reported

An rival official announced that hundreds of people had been killed since the protests began.

"At present, the death toll in the port city is around 350 and for another city it is over 200. Including estimates from other places across the country, the final number is around 700," the spokesperson said.

He noted that the number could be much higher because deaths may be happening during a nighttime curfew that was enforced from election day.

Other Accounts

• An security insider reportedly mentioned there had been reports of over 500 deaths, "possibly 700-800 in the nationwide."
• The human rights organization reported it had received information that no fewer than 100 civilians had been killed.
• The opposition claimed their figures had been collected by a team of activists visiting clinics and medical centers and "documenting the deceased."

Appeals for Intervention

Rival officials called for the authorities to "halt harming our protesters" and requested a transitional government to facilitate just and transparent elections.

"Halt police brutality. Respect the voice of the people which is democratic rights," the official declared.

Authorities Response

Authorities reacted by imposing a curfew. Online restrictions were also noted, with global monitors stating it was across the nation.

On Thursday, the military leader condemned the violence and called the demonstrators "offenders". The official announced authorities would attempt to manage the situation.

International Reaction

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated it was "deeply concerned" by the deaths and injuries in the demonstrations, adding it had received information that a minimum of 10 civilians had been slain by law enforcement.

The organization reported it had received trustworthy information of deaths in the port city, in Shinyanga and Morogoro, with law enforcement firing live ammunition and teargas to scatter protesters.

Expert Perspective

An civil rights advocate remarked it was "unjustified" for authorities to employ violence, stating that the nation's president "should cease deploying the law enforcement against the public."

"The president needs to pay attention to the people. The feeling of the nation is that there was an unfair process … The people are unable to elect only one option," the lawyer commented.