Tanzania seeks to arrest opposition leaders it blames for election protests

Tanzania is seeking to arrest senior opposition figures it blames for protests that swept the country during last week's presidential and parliamentary elections.

The main opposition party, CHADEMA, and some human rights activists say security forces killed hundreds of people, but the government has called those numbers exaggerated.

Police on Saturday listed 10 people who are wanted in connection with their investigation of the unrest, a day after prosecutors charged 145 people with treason.

"The police force, in collaboration with other defence and security agencies, is continuing a serious manhunt to find all who planned, coordinated and executed this evil act," the spokesman for the police said in a statement.

Those being sought for arrest include CHADEMA's secretary general, John Mnyika, his deputy Amaan Golugwa and the party's head of communications, Brenda Rupia, the statement said.

Neither CHADEMA, nor the individual officials, were immediately available to comment on the statement by the police.

Treason trial

CHADEMA's leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason in April, and his exclusion from the ballot, along with another leading opposition contender, has largely driven the protests.

The electoral commission declared incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with nearly 98% of the vote. She was sworn in on Monday.

African Union observers said the vote was not credible and that they had documented ballot box stuffing. The government has dismissed criticism of the process and said the election was fair.

Violent protests broke out on October 29 in the cities of Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya, as well as several regions across the country, police said in Saturday's statement, laying out the extent of the unrest for the first time.

People were harmed during the violence, police said without giving details, while private and public property, including bank teller machines and government offices, was destroyed.