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Per the chief opposition group, nearly 700 people have reportedly been killed during a three-day period of poll-related unrest in the East African nation.

Clashes Erupts on Polling Day

Protests started on election day over what activists called the stifling of the rival camp after the removal of major hopefuls from the election contest.

Death Estimates Claimed

An rival spokesperson declared that hundreds of people had been killed since the protests began.

"Currently, the number of deaths in Dar es Salaam is about 350 and for another city it is 200-plus. Combined with figures from other places throughout the country, the total count is approximately 700," the official remarked.

The spokesperson added that the number could be even larger because killings might be taking place during a nighttime restriction that was implemented from Wednesday.

Additional Reports

• A security source reportedly stated there had been reports of exceeding 500 dead, "possibly 700-800 in the entire nation."
• The human rights organization said it had gathered data that a minimum of 100 people had been lost their lives.
• The opposition stated their estimates had been gathered by a network of party members attending medical facilities and health clinics and "documenting the deceased."

Calls for Change

Rival officials urged the administration to "halt targeting our protesters" and called for a transitional government to facilitate just and transparent polls.

"Stop police brutality. Uphold the choice of the public which is fair elections," the spokesperson said.

Authorities Reaction

Authorities responded by imposing a lockdown. Web outages were also observed, with global monitors indicating it was across the nation.

The following day, the army chief condemned the violence and called the activists "offenders". The official stated law enforcement would attempt to manage the situation.

International Response

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed it was "alarmed" by the fatalities and harm in the protests, adding it had gathered reports that no fewer than 10 people had been slain by security forces.

The organization stated it had obtained credible accounts of casualties in Dar es Salaam, in a northwestern region and Morogoro, with officials firing live ammunition and chemical irritants to break up demonstrators.

Expert View

An civil rights lawyer remarked it was "unreasonable" for law enforcement to use force, noting that the nation's leader "must avoid using the police against the public."

"She should pay attention to the public. The mood of the country is that there was an unfair process … The people cannot vote for one candidate," the lawyer commented.