Tanzania police ban proposed rallies after poll violence

Agencies :

Tanzania’s police have banned proposed rallies next week, following a violent crackdown by security forces on election demonstrations.

Polls on October 29 erupted into days of violent protests over claims that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had rigged the polls and was behind a campaign of murders and abductions of her critics. She was declared winner with 98 percent of the vote.

More than 1,000 people were shot dead by security forces over several days of unrest, according to the opposition and rights groups, though the government has yet to give a final toll.

Despite attempts to suppress information, anger within the east African nation has grown with some saying they will return to the streets on December 9.

In a statement in Swahili late Friday, police spokesperson David Misime said officials had seen the calls on social media but noted: “No identifiable person has so far submitted formal notification for the planned demonstrations.”

Citing police guidelines, the statement said that “given the unlawful tactics that have surfaced,” the proposed rally “no longer meets the legal requirements to be authorized.”

“Therefore, the Police Force, as of today, bans the planned demonstrations described as peaceful and indefinite,” it said.

The statement added calls for the proposed rally were being coordinated by individuals using “telephone numbers based both inside and outside Tanzania, as well as anonymous online accounts managed by persons outside the country.”

It follows a decision by Meta earlier this week to suspend the Instagram accounts of two Tanzanian activists after they posted images of the violent crackdown on election protests.

International criticism has grown, with the United States stating it would be “comprehensively reviewing” its relationship with the country following the election violence.