🔗 Share this article Around 700 Reportedly Perish in Tanzanian Election Demonstrations, Opposition Declares According to the chief opposition group, nearly 700 citizens have supposedly died during three days of voting unrest in the East African nation. Violence Starts on Polling Day Protests broke out on election day over allegations that protesters labeled the suppression of the opposition after the removal of key candidates from the election contest. Death Figures Claimed A opposition spokesperson claimed that scores of individuals had been killed since the demonstrations started. "Currently, the fatality count in the port city is nearly 350 and for Mwanza it is over 200. Including numbers from other regions across the nation, the overall count is about 700," the official stated. He added that the number could be much higher because killings may be happening during a nighttime lockdown that was implemented from election day. Further Accounts An security source supposedly stated there had been information of more than 500 deaths, "possibly 700-800 in the whole country." The human rights organization stated it had received data that at least 100 civilians had been slain. Rival groups claimed their estimates had been collected by a network of supporters visiting hospitals and health centers and "tallying dead bodies." Demands for Change Rival officials called for the government to "cease targeting our activists" and demanded a caretaker government to pave the way for democratic polls. "End excessive force. Honor the will of the public which is democratic rights," the official declared. Authorities Response Authorities reacted by enforcing a lockdown. Online restrictions were also reported, with international watchdogs stating it was nationwide. On Thursday, the military leader condemned the violence and referred to the protesters "offenders". The official said authorities would attempt to control the unrest. Global Reaction The UN human rights office said it was "alarmed" by the deaths and injuries in the unrest, noting it had gathered information that no fewer than 10 civilians had been killed by security forces. The organization stated it had received trustworthy reports of fatalities in the port city, in Shinyanga and Morogoro, with security forces firing gunfire and teargas to break up protesters. Legal View An human rights lawyer stated it was "unreasonable" for security agencies to use force, adding that the nation's president "should refrain from deploying the police against the civilians." "She should heed the public. The feeling of the nation is that there was an unfair process … We are unable to vote for one candidate," the lawyer said.