Thursday, April 23, 2026
"518 were killed in Tanzania election violence, majority from gunshots" - Report
By Our Correspondent, DAR-ES-SALAAM Tanzania
A Commission of Inquiry into the post-election violence of October 29, 2025 in Tanzania, has established that 518 people lost their lives during the unrest, the majority from gunshot wounds, according to findings presented to President Samia Hassan at Dar es Salaam State House on Thursday.
Presenting the final report, Commission Chairperson, former Chief Justice Mohamed Othman, said the findings were based on extensive medical and forensic investigations, including interviews with 80 doctors and specialists, as well as post-mortem examinations and hospital records from across the country.
Justice Othman said according to their findings, the death toll stood at 518, comprising 490 males and 28 females; among them were 21 children.
He said 505 of the victims were civilians, and 16 were members of the security forces.
“From the evidence collected, the majority of those who died were civilians caught up in the violence.” He said.
The Commission found that fatalities were concentrated in a few regions, with Dar es Salaam recording the highest number of 182 deaths, followed by Mwanza region with 90 deaths, Mbeya 80 deaths and Arusha 53 deaths.
He said that forensic analysis showed that 197 deaths were caused by gunshot wounds, while about 20 were attributed to other causes, including trauma and related injuries.
Economically, the Commission estimated total economic losses at TSh.125 billion, with the private sector being hardest hit; accounting for TSh.89 billion losses and public institutions suffering about TSh.36 billion in damage.
He named affected government agencies as schools, tax authorities, utilities, transport and security infrastructure.
The Commission also noted significant psychological and social impacts, including trauma, fear and weakened public trust in institutions and communities.
The Commission further identified key drivers behind the unrest that erupted on general election day, citing political tensions, socio-economic pressures, governance failures, weak service delivery and international dynamics.
"Political demands such as calls for a new Constitution, electoral reforms, and the establishment of an independent electoral commission were the factors behind the unrest." He said.
Other factors cited in the report include the burden of taxes and levies and an unfriendly tax system, the rising cost of living, corruption, misuse of public resources, as well as cases of abductions and enforced disappearances.
The commission found that disputes over constitutional reforms, electoral credibility and political competition were central. "Economic challenges, including the high cost of living, unemployment and tax concerns, also fuelled tensions."
Governance issues such as corruption, declining public trust and unresolved disappearance cases were highlighted, alongside poor response to citizen complaints at local government level.
The report further pointed to global geopolitical influences as an indirect factor.
"Based on extensive nationwide evidence, the commission concluded the unrest was the result of accumulated structural challenges rather than spontaneous protests."
Receiving the report, President Hassan said the report belongs to presidency and not otherwise.
"This is the President's report. The President is the one who formed the commission, so other people should not claim ownership of this report, it is the President's report. The previous commissions were being quietly suppressed, I have decided to discuss it, but the report belongs to the President." She said.
Pope Leo IVX visits one of Equatorial Guinea’s notorious prisons
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea
Pope Leo XIV told inmates at one of Equatorial Guinea’s notorious prisons that they are not alone, as he drew attention Wednesday to prison conditions, human rights abuses and injustices that campaigners have denounced for years here.
Leo’s visit to the prison in the Central African port city of Bata followed in the tradition of Pope Francis, who frequently met with inmates on his foreign visits to give them a message of hope.
But Leo’s stop, at the end of his four-nation African tour, took on added significance after it emerged that Equatorial Guinea was one of several African nations that have been paid millions of dollars in controversial deals with the Trump administration to receive migrants deported from the US to countries other than their own.
While none of those migrants are being held at Bata, the visit put the spotlight on Equatorial Guinea’s overall human rights record and its judiciary, which rights campaigners have criticized for its lack of independence, arbitrary detentions and other abuses.
Leo said he had a simple message for the inmates: That they are loved by God and remain precious in his eyes, despite their mistakes, sufferings and errors.
“You are not alone. Your families love you and are waiting for you. Many people outside these walls are praying for you,” Leo told them in Spanish.
“If any of you fear being abandoned by everyone, know that God will never abandon you, and that the Church will stand by your side,” he said.
The inmates, all dressed in new neon orange and beige uniforms, had gathered in a central courtyard of the prison, which appeared to have been recently painted salmon pink.
As soon as Leo started to speak, the heavens opened and a rainstorm poured down, drenching them but providing some relief from the intense humidity and heat.
In his remarks, Leo also reminded authorities that justice is meant to protect society, but that incarceration is not meant to be punishment alone.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Pope Leo XIV urges justice on visit to Equatorial Guinea
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday called on Equatorial Guinea to place itself “in the service of law and justice,” as he began a sensitive visit to one of Africa’s most tightly controlled states.
Speaking in the capital Malabo, the pontiff urged authorities to reassess development paths and seize opportunities to strengthen their international role through respect for law and justice.
He also warned against inequality, highlighting a widening gap between a small elite and the majority of citizens, and linking modern social injustice to growing exclusion.
Rich in oil, Equatorial Guinea derives much of its wealth from hydrocarbons, yet large parts of the population remain in poverty.
Rights groups have long accused the government of corruption and misuse of public funds, while pointing to stark disparities in living standards.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, in power since 1979, welcomed the pope at the presidential palace, alongside senior officials including Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.
The pope’s visit highlights a delicate balance: supporting the country’s large Catholic population while avoiding endorsement of a government frequently accused of human rights abuses, including restrictions on opposition and media.
Despite the political undertones, crowds gathered in the streets to catch a glimpse of the pontiff, reflecting both hope and skepticism among residents.
The stop marks the last stage of Leo’s 11-day Africa tour.
He is expected to travel onward to Mongomo and Bata, continuing his outreach in a nation where Catholicism remains a lasting legacy of Spanish colonial rule.
Trump extends Iran ceasefire, yet blockade enforcement persists
WASHINGTON, United States
US President, Donald Trump has announced the extension of a fragile ceasefire with Iran, citing a request from Pakistan and saying he is awaiting what he called a “unified proposal” from Tehran.
The decision comes as a two-week truce nears expiration and diplomatic efforts appear increasingly uncertain.
Trump said the ceasefire would remain in place until Iran submits a proposal and negotiations are concluded “one way or the other.”
He also confirmed that the US military blockade of Iranian ports will continue despite the pause in fighting.
At the same time, the White House has postponed a planned visit by Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan, where a second round of talks involving Iran had been expected.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said earlier Tuesday that Tehran has not yet decided whether to participate in the Pakistan talks, adding that it will only engage if discussions are deemed productive.
The conflict has already taken a heavy toll, with reports of at least 3,375 deaths in Iran and more than 2,290 in Lebanon.
Additional casualties include 23 fatalities in Israel, as well as deaths reported in Gulf Arab states.
Military losses have also been recorded among Israeli and US forces deployed in the wider region.
As diplomatic uncertainty grew, Iranian state television broadcast footage of hard-line gatherings in Tehran, where members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were seen displaying a ballistic missile mounted on a mobile launcher, alongside armed personnel.
The missile, identified in reports as a Qadr-type system, has previously been used in strikes involving cluster munitions.
In a televised statement, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that any attack would be met with immediate retaliation against pre-designated targets, threatening stronger responses against both the United States and Israel.
With diplomacy stalled and military rhetoric escalating, both sides continue to signal readiness to resume hostilities if no agreement is reached before the ceasefire expires.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
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