Tanzanian opposition party, Chadema, says three of its members were killed in incidents linked to local elections, accusing the authorities of rigging.
The party in a post via its verified X handle on Wednesday, said the police beat one of its candidates, Modestus Timbisimilwa, to death in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, as he attempted to stop fake ballots being inserted into ballot boxes.
The opposition party alleged that the police shot another candidate, George Juma Mohamed, dead at his home in Mkese in central Tanzania the night before the election.
It said another Chadema official, Steven Chalamila, was killed in a machete attack at his home in Tunduma near the border with Zambia, also late on Tuesday.
The police, however, said in a statement that the death occurred after a group of prison officers were called in to deal with a clash between supporters of Chadema and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, CCM Party, and fired warning shots.
The ruling CCM Party has been accused of increased repression of the opposition in the run-up to the vote.
“We condemn the murders that have occurred and demand that the police take immediate action to arrest and bring all perpetrators to justice,” Chadema said in a statement.
Wednesday’s ballots are a key test for the parties and the country’s democratic institutions ahead of a presidential election next October.
Tanzania is electing more than 80,000 local leaders, who wield considerable power in the country.
