Keypoints:
- Imams condemn deaths after disputed vote
- Religious leaders demand reforms, dialogue
- Hassan promises inquiry amid criticism
MUSLIM leaders in Tanzania have issued a sharp condemnation of the deadly violence surrounding the disputed October 29 general election, accusing security forces of killing civilians and calling for sweeping political reforms to restore trust in state institutions.
In a strongly worded statement on Saturday, the Council of Imams said the killing of ‘innocent people’ during the 2025 poll was unacceptable and had gravely undermined democracy. Their intervention comes as pressure mounts on President Samia Suluhu Hassan to account for the country’s worst political unrest in years.
Rising criticism of election conduct
Hassan secured an overwhelming 98 percent of the vote after several opposition candidates were jailed or barred from running — a process that local observers and rights groups said had cleared the field in favour of the ruling party.
Opposition leaders allege that more than 1,000 people were killed across several days of unrest, though the government has so far refused to release official casualty figures. AFP has reported that heavily armed security forces confronted protesters with live ammunition, tear gas and armoured vehicles in key cities, escalating tensions.
On Friday, Hassan announced plans for a commission of inquiry to investigate the deaths — her first conciliatory message since the violence began. She also suggested clemency for hundreds of detained protesters, many of whom face treason charges that carry the death penalty.
Imams allege ballot stuffing and voter fraud
The imams said their informal observers documented widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing, polling-station tampering and the registration of deceased individuals as voters. Under such conditions, they said, it was ‘impossible’ for Tanzania to claim a credible election.
Their comments mark one of the most pointed interventions yet from religious leaders, who typically avoid direct political disputes but often serve as stabilising societal voices. The statement reflects growing alarm within faith communities over the scale of the crisis.
Hopes of reform fade as repression returns
Hassan assumed the presidency in 2021 following the sudden death of John Magufuli, whose tenure was marked by crackdowns on media, opposition parties and civil society. Her early reforms — including releasing opposition leaders, allowing banned newspapers to reopen and encouraging political dialogue — earned her praise at home and abroad.
But by 2024, rights groups reported a resurgence of repression. Journalists were harassed, opposition figures arrested and public rallies heavily restricted. The run-up to the 2025 vote saw intensified police deployments and tighter controls on political gatherings, which analysts say created an atmosphere of fear ahead of polling day.
The imams said these actions reversed earlier democratic progress and deepened the fracture between the state and its citizens.
Religious leaders push for new constitution
The Council of Imams urged the government to convene an inclusive national dialogue involving civil society, political parties and community organisations to address the underlying causes of the unrest.
They also renewed calls for a new constitution — a longstanding demand of democracy advocates who argue that Tanzania’s current framework grants disproportionate power to the presidency and lacks effective checks and balances.
The imams said Tanzania must restore ‘justice, peace and human dignity’ if it hopes to avoid renewed instability.
Government faces intensifying pressure
International observers have criticised the election’s lack of transparency, while domestic human rights groups accuse security forces of unlawful killings and excessive force. Hundreds of protesters remain in detention, and many fear long, politically motivated trials.
Hassan’s pledge to establish an inquiry is seen by analysts as an attempt to ease tensions, but they caution that without substantive reforms, public anger will remain unresolved.
As Tanzania braces for the investigation’s findings, the imams’ intervention adds significant moral pressure, underscoring that the fallout from the election goes far beyond political rivalries and has touched every layer of society.
