Spotlight On Suluhu As UN Demands Action On Tanzania Killings
As Tanzania faces mounting international scrutiny, the world is watching closely to see whether the government will address these allegations
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
The United Nations (UN)’s top human rights official has called for urgent investigations into killings and other abuses linked to Tanzania’s October 29 general elections, as alarming reports suggest security forces may have moved bodies to undisclosed locations.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Tuesday, November 11 that information gathered from multiple sources in Tanzania indicates hundreds of protesters and civilians may have been killed, with countless others injured or detained.
The UN however pointed out that it been unable to independently verify these figures due to the tense security situation and an internet blackout that followed the vote.
Police battle protesters in Tanzania as of October 31, 2025. /SENSO CRITICO
“Reports of families desperately searching everywhere for their loved ones, visiting one police station after another and one hospital after another are harrowing.
"I strongly urge the Tanzanian authorities to provide information about the fate and whereabouts of all those missing, and to hand over the bodies of those killed to their loved ones so that they can be given dignified burials,” Türk said.
He also warned of “disturbing reports that security forces have been seen removing bodies from streets and hospitals and taking them to undisclosed locations in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence.”
Türk urged Tanzanian authorities to conduct a full, transparent investigation into these grave human rights violations and to hold those responsible accountable.
The UN chief also renewed his call for the unconditional release of opposition leaders and other detainees arrested ahead of and after the elections. Among them is Chadema party leader Tundu Lissu.
Reports indicate more than 150 people have been detained since the vote, including children, with many allegedly charged with treason.
“It is essential that all those arrested or detained on criminal charges are promptly presented before a judicial officer, and can effectively contest the lawfulness of their detention. All those detained must be afforded the full range of due process rights guaranteed under international human rights law,” Türk said.
As Tanzania faces mounting international scrutiny, the world is watching closely to see whether the government will address these allegations and ensure accountability for the reported violence.
The development comes as the Kenyan family of a relative reportedly killed in Tanzania continues to appeal to President William Ruto’s government for assistance in repatriating the body.
John Ogutu, a teacher who worked in Tanzania, is said to have been killed on October 29 during the country’s general elections, which saw President Samia Suluhu secure re-election.
