Police wearing full riot gear took up positions across Dar es Salaam after activists called for public rallies to fight political oppression. The upcoming demonstrations openly break a strict government order that bans all political assemblies.

Government officials state that the heavy police presence is just a normal security measure. However, authorities have clearly warned that anyone who takes part in the forbidden protests will face severe punishment.

The current standoff comes less than a year after contested elections triggered violent protests across the country. The Independent human rights organizations claim that thousands of citizens lost their lives in the aftermath, though official government records count 518 deaths.

Local residents say that the memory of those deaths, combined with ongoing reports of forced disappearances and kidnappings, has created an environment of fear that keeps people from speaking out.