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As per the primary rival group, about 700 citizens have purportedly been slain during 72 hours of election-related clashes in the East African nation.

Unrest Starts on Voting Day

Demonstrations started on Wednesday over claims that protesters labeled the suppression of the rival camp after the removal of key candidates from the presidential race.

Death Estimates Claimed

An opposition spokesperson announced that hundreds of people had been lost their lives since the demonstrations began.

"At present, the death toll in Dar es Salaam is nearly 350 and for Mwanza it is over 200. Added to figures from other places around the country, the final figure is approximately 700," he said.

The spokesperson added that the toll could be even larger because deaths could be occurring during a nighttime curfew that was enforced from election day.

Other Reports

• An official source supposedly stated there had been reports of more than 500 fatalities, "perhaps 700-800 in the entire nation."
• The human rights organization reported it had obtained reports that at least 100 individuals had been lost their lives.
• The opposition asserted their figures had been collected by a network of supporters going to medical facilities and medical centers and "documenting dead bodies."

Demands for Action

The opposition called for the administration to "halt harming our protesters" and called for a transitional administration to enable just and transparent elections.

"Halt police brutality. Honor the will of the citizens which is democratic rights," the spokesperson stated.

Authorities Measures

Officials responded by implementing a restriction. Internet disruption were also reported, with international monitors indicating it was nationwide.

On Thursday, the military leader condemned the violence and called the protesters "offenders". The official said law enforcement would seek to control the crisis.

International Response

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was "deeply concerned" by the casualties in the demonstrations, adding it had obtained information that at least 10 people had been killed by law enforcement.

The office stated it had obtained reliable information of casualties in Dar es Salaam, in a northwestern region and an eastern area, with security forces using real bullets and teargas to scatter demonstrators.

Legal Opinion

An civil rights lawyer stated it was "unjustified" for law enforcement to employ violence, stating that the country's leader "ought to refrain from deploying the law enforcement against the public."

"The president needs to listen to the citizens. The mood of the country is that there was no fair vote … The people cannot choose one candidate," the lawyer commented.