Tanzanians shared gruesome videos online on Tuesday after days of protests in which the opposition says hundreds were killed, despite warnings from police that spreading graphic images was a criminal offence.President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the October 29 poll with 98 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission, but the opposition has branded the election a “sham”.A total internet blackout and transport shutdown, in place since protests broke out on election day, have been partially eased, but verifying information out of the east African country remains difficult.An AFP journalist observed a slow return to normal in the economic capital Dar es Salaam, although people remained scared and there was still a notable security presence.”I hope violence will not come again,” food vendor Rehema Shehoza, 32, told AFP.Long lines formed outside petrol stations as they reopened, with prices soaring for the private tuk-tuks and moto-taxis filling the gaps in public transport.The internet was back intermittently, with graphic images, reportedly from the protests, being shared widely across social media. The footage could not be independently verified.The police circulated a text message on Monday threatening to punish anyone spreading footage that could create panic or humiliate people online.- ‘Morgues full’ -A diplomatic source said there were “concerning reports” that the police had used the internet blackout to buy time as they “hunt down opposition members and protesters who might have videos” of atrocities committed last week.A security source also told AFP there were reports of people being summoned, then vanishing.”Morgues are full and a day later they are completely empty. The bodies are nowhere to be found,” they said.A Dar es Salaam resident told Human Rights Watch that her neighbour, who did not take part in the protests, was shot dead by a man wearing civilian clothing outside his home on October 30.In an interview with AFP, the ex-foreign minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said the government did not know how many people had died.”I’m sure people lost lives,” he said, expressing sadness for those “shot by police” but stressing he believed the demonstrations were “not legal”.When asked if protests were related to the barring of the opposition and spate of abductions and killings of government critics, he responded: “I cannot comment on that one because I don’t have enough information.”- ‘No less than 800’ – During her acceptance speech on Monday, Hassan expressed sadness over “incidents of violence that have led to loss of lives” and said there would be investigations.”Samia’s time in office is guaranteed by the gun,” Tito Magoti, a human rights activist, told AFP.”The president doesn’t seem remorseful. She hasn’t apologised. She hasn’t consoled the families,” he added.African poll observers released an initial report saying Tanzanians had been unable to “express their democratic will” thanks to the barring of opposition candidates, censorship and intimidation, as well as signs of rigging on election day.The diplomatic source said there were credible reports of hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of deaths registered at hospitals and health clinics around Tanzania.The opposition Chadema party told AFP it had recorded “no less than 800” deaths by Saturday, but none of the figures could be independently verified.
