A well-known Tanzanian activist based in the United States has been sharing disturbing photos and videos allegedly showing anti-government protesters killed during last week’s election unrest content that Tanzanian authorities are now moving to suppress.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the October 29 election with 98 percent of the vote, according to the national electoral commission.
The opposition dismissed the results as a “sham”, and African Union observers noted that the process failed to meet basic democratic standards.
Violent demonstrations erupted across the country on election day, prompting the government to impose a nationwide internet blackout, making independent verification of events difficult.
Activist Mange Kimambi has since been posting graphic images and videos almost hourly, showing bloodied hospital floors, bodies riddled with bullets, and streets eerily deserted.
Some clips appear to show armed men possibly police or plainclothes officers patrolling or firing weapons.
While verifying the footage remains difficult, fact-checkers from AFP found that several videos had no prior online record.
Details such as signage, uniforms, and the use of Tanzanian Swahili suggest the material may indeed have been filmed in Tanzania.
A recurring caption on Kimambi’s posts reads: “The violence Samia Suluhu unleashed against Tanzanians for protesting and demanding free and fair elections.”
The opposition party Chadema claims at least 800 people were killed during the unrest, a figure supported by diplomatic and security sources who believe the true death toll may reach into the thousands. Tanzanian authorities have not released any official figures, only expressing “regret for the lost lives.”
On Thursday, Attorney General Hamza Johari vowed to arrest Kimambi for continuing to share the graphic material on her Instagram (2.5 million followers) and X (nearly 400,000 followers) accounts.
“We must arrest her… Let’s see if we have an extradition agreement with the United States to bring her here,” Johari said.
Kimambi responded defiantly, calling Johari an “idiot” and questioning whether such an extradition treaty exists.
“You’ve killed thousands of young Tanzanians, but instead of prosecuting the murderers, you’re coming after me,” she said in a video message.
Meanwhile, Tanzanian police have warned that anyone sharing “images that may create panic or humiliate people” will face punishment.
Several citizens told AFP they have received official-looking messages claiming their social media accounts are now under government surveillance.
Human rights advocate Tito Magoti described these actions as part of a coordinated attempt by authorities to “instil fear” through propaganda and intimidation.
Despite mounting pressure, Kimambi has pinned three especially graphic videos to her X account, showing the bodies of young men lying face down.
She says the footage was taken in Mwanza, one of the regions hardest hit by the violence, and that the victims were killed while watching football at a local café.
“My number is public,” she told AFP. “Most Tanzanians have it and send me their photos directly.”
14 arrested in clash over dispute over Sh300 million land in Westlands, Nairobi
