US Senator Shaheen Calls For An Independent Probe Into Tanzania’s ‘Disturbing’ Post-Election Crackdown After CNN Exposé

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 21 — U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen has called for an independent international investigation into Tanzania’s post-election crackdown, following a CNN investigation that uncovered evidence of shootings, mass graves, and a possible cover-up by security forces.

In a statement, Senator Shaheen condemned what she described as “disturbing actions” by Tanzanian authorities in the aftermath of the October 29 presidential election, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared winner with 98 per cent of the vote amid opposition boycotts and disqualifications.

“This report underscores the disturbing actions by the Tanzanian Government to suppress protestors. Evidence of mass graves show an unacceptable attempt to cover-up gross violations of human rights,” she said.

“There must be an independent investigation into these tragic acts immediately.”

Her remarks came in response to a CNN exposé that documented alleged police killings of unarmed protesters, the use of live ammunition, and suspected secret burials meant to mask the death toll.

CNN’s investigation, which employed the use of satellite imagery, geo-located videos, eyewitness accounts, and forensic audio analysis, indicated that Tanzanian police fired live rounds at crowds and may have buried victims in unmarked graves at Kondo cemetery in Kunduchi, north of Dar es Salaam.

Verified footage and images showed overcrowded morgues in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, with bodies laid on stretchers and floors after days of violent clashes.

Medical staff told CNN that many victims had sustained gunshot wounds to the head, chest, abdomen, and limbs.

Witnesses in Arusha told the network that a pregnant woman and a young man were shot during protests, while drone footage showed people fleeing as armed men — some in plain clothes — opened fire.

Opposition officials have alleged that security forces removed some bodies from hospitals and dumped them in remote areas to conceal the true number of fatalities. These claims have not been independently verified but align with satellite images showing freshly disturbed soil at suspected mass grave sites.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has said multiple sources suggest that hundreds of people may have been killed, with many more injured or detained during the post-election unrest.

The UN has joined calls for an impartial, credible investigation into the use of lethal force, urging Tanzanian authorities to ensure truth, accountability, and reparations for victims’ families.

President Samia Suluhu last week acknowledged unspecified casualties and announced the formation of a national commission of inquiry, but critics say an independent mechanism is necessary given the government’s role in the crackdown.

The Tanzanian government has sharply criticized CNN and other international media outlets for what it described as biased, “unverified,” and sensational reporting.

Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa accused journalists of relying on social media content and satellite images without seeking comment from the authorities.

“These outlets failed to seek out the government to hear the other side of the story. This was a very big mistake. The government calls on CNN to exercise ethics in airing their stories and avoid sharing stories without verified sources,” he said.

Rights organisations, foreign governments, and regional bodies have begun pressing Tanzania for transparency, with calls intensifying for access to burial sites, hospital records, and police operations during the election period.