Tanzania began easing a nationwide curfew and partial internet blackout on Tuesday, days after disputed elections triggered violent unrest that the opposition claims left hundreds dead.
The police announced late Monday the lifting of the curfew imposed during the unrest, resulting in residents cautiously returning to the streets in the capital Dar es Salaam on Tuesday as public transport resumed.
There was reduced but visible security presence in the capital where armed patrols had dominated the streets in recent days.
The internet, previously inaccessible nationwide, returned intermittently, allowing locals to chat on social media.
The 29 October presidential poll, declared a landslide victory for incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan with 98 percent of the vote, has been rejected by opposition leaders as a “sham.”
Protests erupted across major cities on election day, prompting a security crackdown and a total shutdown of internet services.
The blackout and curfew followed reports of violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Mbeya, Dodoma, Arusha and Dar es Salaam.
Human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the alleged fatalities and the conduct of the electoral process.
JN/APA