TANZANIAN authorities faced mounting concern over killings during and after last week’s election, with the largest opposition party accusing security forces of secretly dumping hundreds of bodies.

Protests erupted across the East African nation after the vote, with young people taking to the streets of Dar es Salaam and other cities to denounce what they said was a rigged election.

Security forces responded with live ammunition and tear gas, and a nationwide curfew was imposed.

“Tanzanians’ hearts are bleeding right now. This is a new thing for Tanzanians,” Brenda Rupia of the opposition Chadema group said.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with over 97 per cent of the vote, a rare margin in the region, despite low turnout reported by foreign observers.

It was her first electoral victory, having become president in 2021 following the death of John Pombe Magufuli.

Her main rivals, Tundu Lissu of Chadema and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, were both barred from running.

Mr Lissu remains in jail on treason charges linked to his calls for electoral reform, while his deputy, John Heche, was detained before the vote.

Human Rights Watch today condemned the crackdown and urged authorities to “end the use of excessive and lethal force” and ensure accountability.

The group cited eyewitness reports of point-blank shootings by police.

Chadema claimed more than 1,000 people were killed, while Britain, Norway and Canada said there were credible reports of mass casualties.

The Catholic Church also said deaths numbered “in the hundreds.”

Ms Rupia said party leaders in Tunduma alone had recorded about 400 deaths, alleging that security forces were “holding dead bodies” and secretly disposing of them to conceal the scale of the killings.

Ms Hassan, Tanzania’s first female leader, was inaugurated on Monday, acknowledging “loss of life” in her speech and urging a return to calm.

Authorities have warned citizens not to share “images that could cause panic,” threatening treason charges as the internet slowly returned following a six-day shutdown.

The warning came as people began sharing unverified images of bodies they claimed were victims of the election protests.

A social media page that had been uploading videos and photos of purported election protest victims was pulled down on Monday evening, after attracting thousands of followers within a day.