The United States is conducting a broad review of its relationship with Tanzania after condemning what the State Department described as repression and troubling violence against civilians following a disputed presidential election in October that returned President Samia Suluhu Hassan to power.
U.S. officials said the government’s handling of post-election unrest raises serious doubts about the bilateral partnership and Tanzania’s reliability as a partner. Opposition parties, U.N. experts and rights organizations say hundreds—possibly many more—may have died in the crackdown, though the government has not published an official death toll and independent verification is difficult.
The review represents Washington’s strongest public rebuke to date. Last month the European Union froze tens of millions of dollars in aid, citing the violent response to protests and a lack of transparency from the Tanzanian government.
President Hassan, who assumed office in 2021 after the sudden death of John Magufuli and was initially viewed by some as a potential reformer, lashed out at Western governments, religious leaders and opposition figures, accusing them of interfering in Tanzania’s affairs and rejecting what she framed as patronizing criticism. She defended security forces accused of using lethal force, portraying the unrest as an attempted coup and saying police were obliged to protect lives and property when buildings and police stations were attacked.
Hassan has asserted she won about 98% of the vote in the Oct. 29 election, a result contested by opposition parties that were largely barred from competing and by several opposition leaders who have been arrested on treason charges.
Opposition leaders deny plotting against the state and allege the crackdown has killed more than 2,000 people. Dozens have been detained, opposition offices raided, organizers driven underground, and many protesters remain missing and feared dead.
One high-profile case involves John Oduor, a Kenyan teacher shot in Dar es Salaam on election day. His body remains in a Tanzanian morgue more than a month later, and his family says they have been unable to repatriate him for traditional burial, appealing to Kenyan authorities for help and saying the uncertainty is deeply traumatic.
Ahead of planned demonstrations, U.N. human rights experts warned of widespread violations, including alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and mass detentions, and urged the government to account for missing people and lift restrictions on media coverage. Amnesty International and other groups say the crisis reflects a broader regional decline in opposition space and press freedom in parts of East Africa.
For families searching for answers about loved ones, international pressure and official rhetoric have offered little comfort. Many say the lack of information and accountability only deepens their anguish.