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According to the leading opposition faction, roughly 700 people have purportedly been killed during a three-day period of poll-related clashes in the East African nation.

Clashes Erupts on Voting Day

Unrest commenced on election day over claims that activists called the suppression of the opposition after the disqualification of prominent contenders from the election contest.

Fatality Figures Claimed

An opposition spokesperson stated that scores of individuals had been lost their lives since the demonstrations started.

"As we speak, the fatality count in the port city is about 350 and for Mwanza it is more than 200. Added to figures from other regions across the country, the overall number is nearly 700," the spokesperson stated.

The spokesperson noted that the number could be significantly greater because killings may be happening during a night-time lockdown that was imposed from election day.

Additional Accounts

• A security source allegedly stated there had been accounts of more than 500 dead, "possibly 700-800 in the entire nation."
• Amnesty International said it had obtained reports that a minimum of 100 individuals had been lost their lives.
• Rival groups claimed their figures had been collected by a group of party members attending clinics and health clinics and "documenting fatalities."

Calls for Intervention

The opposition called for the administration to "halt harming our demonstrators" and called for a transitional administration to enable free and fair votes.

"Stop excessive force. Uphold the will of the people which is democratic rights," the official declared.

Government Reaction

Officials responded by implementing a lockdown. Online restrictions were also noted, with international monitors indicating it was nationwide.

The following day, the army chief condemned the violence and called the protesters "criminals". The official announced security forces would attempt to contain the unrest.

Global Response

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated it was "worried" by the deaths and injuries in the demonstrations, mentioning it had received accounts that no fewer than 10 individuals had been slain by authorities.

The office reported it had received trustworthy information of casualties in the port city, in a northwestern region and an eastern area, with security forces firing live ammunition and chemical irritants to disperse protesters.

Legal Opinion

An civil rights attorney remarked it was "unreasonable" for authorities to use force, noting that the country's president "ought to avoid deploying the police against the people."

"She needs to pay attention to the public. The feeling of the nation is that there was no election … The people are unable to elect one candidate," the lawyer stated.