Secret Out as Top Official Leaks Where Samia's Government Took Bodies of Killed Demonstrators

Senior Tanzanian government officials are reportedly keeping mum on details of the recent protests in the country in fear of state retaliation.

AFP reports that most are choosing not to comment on the matter, afraid that they might be subjected to serious consequences.

One of them, however, admitted that protesters lost their lives in the hands of security agencies deployed to crush the demonstrations.

The official provided AFP with coordinates for two suspected sites of mass graves near Dar es Salaam—at Kondo and Mabwepande.

This follows the United Nations' statement on Tuesday, which suggested that security forces are hiding some of the bodies to conceal evidence.

"There are disturbing reports that security forces have been seen removing bodies from streets and hospitals and taking them to undisclosed locations in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence," UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, said.

The protests erupted after Tanzanians in some parts of the country took to the streets to oppose last month's elections, which Samia's leading rivals were blocked from participating in.