Keypoints:
- President rejects claims of excessive force
- Opposition alleges mass killings, repression
- EU aid suspension fuels diplomatic tensions
TANZANIA’S President Samia Suluhu Hassan has defended the conduct of security forces during the deadly post-election unrest that erupted after the disputed October 29 poll, arguing that officers acted to stop what she described as an attempt to topple the government. Her remarks came during a speech in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, reported by AFP, amid rising tensions ahead of fresh demonstrations expected on December 9.
Hassan said the force used by police matched the scale of the threat, insisting the crowds that filled the streets during the three days of protest were ‘prepared to overthrow the government’. She questioned accusations of excessive force, asking whether officers were expected to ‘simply watch’ as the unrest intensified.
Opposition groups and human rights organisations allege that more than 1,000 people were shot dead during the crackdown, though the government has not released an official death toll. Critics say many families never received the bodies of their relatives, fuelling concerns over unacknowledged fatalities. Authorities deny claims of systematic killings or abductions.
Although Hassan won re-election with 98 percent of the vote, the process was marred by the jailing or disqualification of major opposition figures. The main opposition party, CHADEMA, rejected the outcome and has called for renewed nationwide demonstrations.
Crackdown allegations escalate
Opposition parties accuse the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) of intensifying a climate of fear through arrests, disappearances and intimidation of both high-profile politicians and low-level online critics. Government officials dismiss the allegations, arguing that all candidates were free to participate in the election.
Hassan pushed back against claims that opposition candidates were barred, saying they ‘refused to enter themselves because they already knew they would not succeed’. CHADEMA disputes this, insisting the electoral environment is fundamentally unfair. The party declined to sign this year’s new ‘electoral code of conduct’, arguing that reforms must precede any such agreement.
Its leader, Tundu Lissu, was subsequently arrested and charged with treason — an offence that carries the death penalty under Tanzanian law. His detention has further heightened tensions between the government and opposition supporters.
EU aid freeze triggers diplomatic friction
The crisis has broadened into a diplomatic row after the European Parliament voted last week to suspend aid to Tanzania over the violence and alleged repression. Hassan criticised the move, accusing EU parliamentarians of adopting a colonial mindset and claiming they ‘still think they are our masters’.
The government maintains its position that the unrest was instigated by groups determined to destabilise the country. With fresh protests planned for December 9 and political divisions hardening, Tanzania now faces intensifying scrutiny from regional and international partners.
As December 9 approaches, the country braces for another test of its political stability, with mounting fears of renewed confrontation between protesters and security forces.
