An investigation on Tanzania’s bloody general elections of October 29 has shown police fatally shooting protesters, loading corpses with gunshot injuries in morgues and signs of mass grave 

The investigation carried out by CNN analysed “geolocated videos from the scenes, audio forensic analysis of the shots fired and first-hand accounts from witnesses,” unearthing chilling revelation of mayhem unleashed on citizens in the election won by incumbent President Samia Hassan. 

The report publised on Friday featured videos of police fatally shooting protesters, mass graves and footage of corpses “covering the floor inside the Mwananyamala Hospital in Dar es Salaam,” and some other bodies piled up outside Sekou-Toure Regional Referral hospital in Mwanza.”

According to the report, a doctor, who treated victims of gunshot wounds for four days there and spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said the dead were brought to the morgue by police “until it was full.” 

After that, he said, they “piled” the bodies outside the hospital.

“All had sustained gunshot wounds on different parts of the body. Especially the head, abdomen, chest, lower limbs. Badly wounded patients with varying degrees of consciousness,” the doctor said.

Mrs Hassan’s government, in a statememt on Friday, said it was reviewing and verifying contents of the report.

“The government of the United Republic of Tanzania has taken note of a documentary recently published by CNN regarding the events of October 29, 2025,” a statement by Gerson Msigwa, spokesperson for Mrs Hassan, said. “The government is currently reviewing and verifying the contents of the documentary.”

CNN investigation into the violence over Tanzania’s election marred by internet shutdown and police brutality further bolstered reports of mass killings during the exercise as reactions continued to trail the poll.

Mrs Hassan polled 98 per cent of votes, according to Tanzania’s Independent National Electoral Commission.

The United Nations, African Union Election Observation Mission, the European Union, the Southern African Development Committee Electoral Observation, the UK, Canadian and Norwegian missions in Tanzania condemned “large number of fatalities,” internet shutdown, disqualification of opposition candidates and brutal clampdown on protesters during the election.

The CHADEMA opposition party, whose candidate, Tundu Lissu, was barred from the election, said about 700 people were killed during the election, vowing not to recognise Mrs Hassan as President.