By Aaron Ross
NAIROBI (Reuters) -Prosecutors in Tanzania charged at least 145 people with treason on Friday for alleged involvement in violent protests that broke out during last week’s presidential and parliamentary elections, according to court filings seen by Reuters.
The main opposition party, CHADEMA, and some human rights activists say that security forces killed more than 1,000 people. The government has called those numbers exaggerated without offering its own death toll.
The charges are the first against people accused of having participated in the protests. A church leader said the move would only deepen the acrimony sparked by the election. Religious leaders and others have urged the government to try to reconcile with political opponents and protesters.
The government’s spokesperson did not respond to a call and text message seeking comment.
ACCUSED SOUGHT TO OBSTRUCT ELECTION, FILINGS SAY
The filings in the resident magistrate court of Dar es Salaam said the accused “formed an intention to obstruct the 2025 general election for the purpose of intimidating the Executive of the Republic of Tanzania” and caused damage to government properties.
They did not elaborate on the specific accusations against them, except for one defendant – a businesswoman also arrested in the run-up to the elections for allegedly promoting demonstrations – whom the filing accused of encouraging people to purchase tear gas masks from her business during the protests.
None of the others appeared to be public figures, and Boniface Mwabukusi, president of the main lawyers’ association in mainland Tanzania, said he did not think they were represented by counsel.
Benson Bagonza, a bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, said the charges would only escalate tensions.
“The only option for the government to keep at least the relative peace now is … to grieve with the people instead of arresting and taking people to court,” he said.
The protests were largely driven by anger over the exclusion of the two leading opposition candidates from the presidential race. One of them, CHADEMA leader Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason in April.
The electoral commission declared incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with nearly 98% of the vote, and she was sworn in on Monday.
African Union observers said the vote was not credible and that they had documented ballot box stuffing. The government has dismissed criticism of the process and said the election was fair.
(Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Sharon Singleton)
