U.S. Warns Of Unrest In Tanzania Ahead of Planned Protests
Ahead of a planned nationwide protest scheduled for December 9 - to protest against the heavy-handedness of security forces during last month's post-election violence - the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania has warned American travelers to exercise caution due to heightened tension in the East African nation.
The Embassy statement said protest activity could begin ahead of the scheduled date, warning travelers to expect significant disruptions in the coming weeks. These disruptions include possible curfews, ferry cancellations between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, disruption of international flights, and roadblocks enforcing movement restrictions.
"Security authorities have searched electronics for evidence of connection to unrest or politically sensitive content," the Embassy alert said, noting that sharing images or videos that "may cause panic" is a criminal offense under Tanzanian law.
The opposition has called for nationwide demonstrations on December 9 to protest what it describes as a brutal crackdown following the disputed election.
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Using geolocated videos, satellite imagery, audio analysis, and eyewitness accounts, the CNN investigation documented how security forces allegedly killed protesters and concealed the scale of the crackdown that followed President Samia Suluhu Hassan's landslide re-election with 98% of the vote on October 29.
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During ongoing intimidation and limited access to information, Tanzania continues to pick up the pieces after the government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's violent crackdown against protestors and ordinary citizens surrounding the country's October 29 elections. The violence was accompanied by a government-imposed curfew and a shutdown of transport, markets, the internet, and newspapers--a first since independence.
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President Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced an investigation into the post-election unrest, following allegations that her government violently suppressed historic protests in the country. She was declared the winner of last month's presidential poll with 98% of the vote - a result the opposition has denounced as a "mockery of democracy." At least 240 people were charged with treason after the protests.
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A voter cast a vote during the Tanzanian election.
