Families in Tanzania Seek Missing Relatives Months After Election Protests

In the aftermath of Tanzania's contested October 2025 elections, numerous families are still searching for missing relatives, with reports suggesting that security forces used lethal force during protests and subsequently concealed evidence.

Manenos Selanyika, a 40-year-old journalist, was reportedly shot by security forces on October 30 while attempting to procure food amid the unrest. Neighbors informed his family that he was killed on Mbezi Africana Street in Dar es Salaam, but police prevented the retrieval of his body. Despite extensive searches in hospitals and morgues, his family was unable to locate his remains and eventually held a symbolic burial in Lambo village near Mount Kilimanjaro.

Similar accounts have emerged nationwide. Sheila Gyumi (a pseudonym) recounted that her husband, a motorbike courier, went missing on election day after leaving for work. Despite visiting multiple police stations and hospitals, the family received no information about his whereabouts. Gyumi expressed her distress, noting the emotional and financial strain on her family.

Human rights organizations have raised alarms over the alleged actions of Tanzanian security forces during the protests. Amnesty International reported that security personnel used live ammunition and teargas against protesters and bystanders, resulting in numerous casualties. The organization also highlighted instances where bodies were removed from morgues and taken to undisclosed locations, raising concerns about potential mass graves.

The United Nations has called for a thorough investigation into these allegations. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk emphasized the need for transparency, urging Tanzanian authorities to disclose the fate of missing individuals and return the bodies of those killed to their families. Türk described the reports of families desperately searching for their loved ones as "harrowing."

Despite these calls, the Tanzanian government has yet to release an official death toll or provide detailed information about the missing individuals. The situation remains tense, with families continuing their search for closure and justice.