International scrutiny over Tanzania’s disputed general election has escalated after the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee demanded an impartial investigation into claims of human rights abuses linked to the post-poll unrest.

The committee’s intervention follows a CNN investigation by Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo, which unearthed troubling accounts of excessive force against protesters and raised questions about possible mass graves in parts of the country.

In its statement, the powerful Senate committee expressed alarm at the details emerging from the report, saying the allegations point to a deeper crisis than what Tanzanian authorities have acknowledged.

“The evidence indicating attempts to conceal serious violations of human rights is deeply concerning,” the committee noted, urging a fully independent review of events surrounding the election unrest.

The October 29 vote which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared winner with an overwhelming 97 per cent triggered waves of demonstrations in several regions, with citizens challenging the credibility of the outcome.

Eyewitness accounts captured by CNN described chaotic scenes, overwhelmed health facilities, and bodies lying unattended.

Because foreign journalists were denied access to the country during the election period, CNN relied on satellite analysis, drone footage and interviews from outside the country. Some of the imagery pointed to freshly dug sites in areas such as the Kondo cemetery, sparking suspicion of unreported burials.

Tanzania’s government has strongly dismissed these claims, insisting the report does not reflect the situation on the ground. Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa accused international outlets of amplifying unverified social media material without offering the government a fair chance to respond.

“CNN and other foreign media ran with footage circulating online without proper verification. They did not seek the government’s side of the story, and that is unacceptable,” he said.

Despite Dodoma’s defence, the call by US lawmakers adds to growing international unease over how the Tanzanian state handled the demonstrations.

Rights organisations, regional observers and several foreign governments have also raised questions about transparency, the use of force, and the need for accountability.