Tanzania is grappling with a severe
political and human rights crisis following its disputed general elections of
October 29, 2025.
What began as post-election unrest
has escalated into sustained calls for nationwide demonstrations, prompting a
sweeping crackdown by government authorities.
The planned protests, collectively
dubbed “D9” for the intended date of December 9—also Tanzania’s Independence
Day—are viewed by activists as a continuation and expansion of the
demonstrations that rocked major cities immediately after the polls.
The core issues driving the dissent
are deep-seated, revolving around electoral legitimacy, accountability for
alleged violence, and a perceived erosion of democratic space.
The surge in tensions is rooted in
the aftermath of the October 29 general elections, in which incumbent President
Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner.
The polls were heavily criticised by
opposition parties, international observers, and human rights organisations.
The Southern African Development
Community (SADC) Electoral Observation Mission noted that conditions
surrounding the vote fell short of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections.
“In view of the Mission’s
observations, and mindful of the preliminary nature of this statement, it is
SEOM’s tentative conclusion that the 2025 General Election in Tanzania did not
meet the standards of democratic elections,” the mission, led by former Malawi
Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, stated.
Ahead of the elections, the main
opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), was barred from
participating in the presidential race, while its leader, Tundu Lissu, was
imprisoned on treason charges months earlier.
The candidate for the second-largest
opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, was also disqualified.
Reports of mass arbitrary
detentions, media restrictions, internet shutdowns, and a general lack of
transparency further marred the electoral process.
Protests erupted on Election Day in
Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Arusha. According to credible human rights reports,
the government response involved excessive and lethal force, including live
ammunition, resulting in hundreds of deaths and more than 2,000 detentions.
Activists, including diaspora
groups, rallied around December 9 as a focal point for renewed peaceful
demonstrations.
The primary objective of the D9
movement is to demand justice and accountability for alleged extrajudicial
killings, enforced disappearances, and mass detentions during the October
crackdown. Social media has been a key mobilisation tool, prompting heightened
surveillance and digital harassment by authorities.
Tanzanian authorities have taken a
hardline stance, labelling the planned demonstrations as acts of “violence and
destruction.”
On December 3, the police issued a
nationwide ban on all Independence Day protests, warning that anyone attempting
to participate would be arrested and characterising the D9 movement as a
continuation of October’s unrest.
In the days leading up to December
9, major cities were placed under heightened security, with heavy deployment of
police and military units, patrols, and roadblocks near key government
installations.
Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba urged
nonessential workers to stay home, a message echoed by Home Affairs Minister
George Simbachawene.
“Those protests are not permitted
and are unlawful … that is not a protest, that is a coup. Our security organs
will handle them,” Simbachawene said.
Official Independence Day
celebrations were cancelled, with President Hassan stating that funds would
instead be used to repair infrastructure damaged during the election unrest.
Human Rights Watch reported a wave
of wrongful arrests, including at least 10 activists and opposition supporters
detained for online posts promoting the planned demonstrations.
In one case, police confirmed the
arrest of an opposition member for “organising and promoting crime through a
WhatsApp group under the umbrella of peaceful protests.”
Amid domestic and international
criticism, the Office of the President announced the formation of an
independent commission to investigate the post-election violence.
However, opposition and civil
society groups criticised the commission for lacking independence, noting that
it is composed entirely of former state officials and retired civil servants,
with no representation from civil society or opposition parties.
On Tuesday, President Samia Suluhu
Hassan urged citizens to uphold the country’s values of peace, unity, and
solidarity as Tanzania marked its 64th Independence Day.
In a message on X, she congratulated
citizens and reflected on the foundations that have sustained national
stability since 1961.
“As we celebrate this important day,
let us remind each other of the importance of safeguarding our national values
of peace, unity, and solidarity,” she said, noting that these values remain
central to Tanzania’s progress and sovereignty.
