I work as a surgeon. The amount of death I witnessed at my public hospital was unbearable. The mortuary had more than 300 dead bodies, some as young as six and eight years old. We operated for three straight days without rest and ran out of blood products. I don’t know what to say. The worst part is that police lorries took the bodies away a few days ago. People will search for their relatives without finding them – Surgeon, Lake Region
In Arusha alone, more than 500 people may have been killed. We are in a state of mourning, filled with rage and a great deal of uncertainty – Resident, Arusha
There was anger and despair at my workplace – one of the hospitals in Dar es Salaam – where I was trapped for days. I saw about 80 bodies and hundreds of casualties, mostly due to gunshots. Even children as young as four weren’t spared – Hospital worker, Dar es Salaam
This is just a sample of personal stories sent to the South Africa-based weekly, The Continent, by its readers in Tanzania. The newspaper had asked them to share their experiences of the government crackdown on protests that broke out after the October 29 elections.
The horrific scale of state terror unleashed on unarmed citizens, including children, is yet to be fully revealed. Why? Because the authorities conducted the massacres in darkness. The internet was shut down, media censored and threatened, and a curfew imposed throughout the country. Will the persons responsible for the horrendous killings ever face justice? How will Tanzania heal?
The utter callousness of the government was captured by one citizen, who highlighted the cost of the media blackout. Without information, “a lot of people died from not knowing about the curfew,” the resident of Arusha told The Continent. In conflict situations, reliable information is often the difference between life and death.
The Southern African Development Community Election Observation Team (SEOM) reported that, “The internet was cut off on election day, halting communication and preventing SEOM from gathering or transmitting data on polling, counting, and closing processes.
“Censorship of online platforms and restrictions on media freedom were reported. State-owned media overwhelmingly favoured the ruling party, while private media self-censored out of fear of losing licences.”
Democracy dies in darkness. So, what surer way to suppress the will of the people than to shut down communication? But the rulers in Dodoma clearly underestimated how keenly the TZ election was being watched around the world and the efforts dedicated journalists would make to shine light into the darkness. All major media houses tried to tell the Tanzania story despite the government’s hostility to media freedom.
In Kenya, for eight straight days, beginning election day, The Standard carried banner headlines on the elections: “Samia vs Suluhu” (October 29), “Defying Suluhu” (October 30), “Darkness in Dar” (October 31), “Suluhu goes mute” (November 1), “Africa’s sham polls” (November 2), “Tanzania massacre” (November 3), “A bloody crown”, and “Suluhu’s vendetta” (November 4).
The coverage did not go unnoticed. “Kwa siku sita mfululizo, front page alikuwa dikteta jike na wino mzito wa kuelezea mauaji yanayoendelea nchini,” a Tanzania commented on X, posting the day’s front page of The Standard. “Hawa ndio waandishi wa Habari wanaofurahia kazi yao ya uandishi. Ubunifu wao kwenye kazi wanayoipenda unaonekana.”
Joseph Kalimbwe, a Zambian activist and author, posted this warm message of appreciation to The Standard: “On behalf of progressives across SADC & Africa, we’d love to appreciate you for telling the Tanzanian story to the world. You’re Kenyans but took keen interest in telling the story of your fellow Africans, like we all should. With love from Lusaka, Zambia!”
What did the government gain? The African Union declared the elections a sham, as they “did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.”
Pwani University scholar Edwin Wanjawa summed up the tragedy (Star, November 7-9): “President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Chama Cha Mapinduzi leadership have led Tanzania into one of its darkest political alleys since independence. Under their watch, the country has witnessed a surge in intimidation, arbitrary arrests, media censorship and the silencing of dissenting voices. The Tanzania that once sheltered exiled freedom fighters from across Africa has become a country where its own citizens whisper their truths in fear.”
But, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, it is not just Tanzania. We live in a region where democracy is in alarming decline. Numerous reports have warned that governments in East Africa – some congratulated Suluhu on her “victory” – are increasingly repressive even as the citizens boldly push back. The media must brace itself for these frightening times.
See you next week!
