Tanzania will not hold its independence day events next month, with the resources instead redirected toward repairing infrastructure damaged during recent election-related unrest, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announced.
His statement comes amid calls from opposition groups and others urging citizens to gather on 9 December to protest the killings that followed last month’s contested vote.
The opposition asserts that the crackdown claimed hundreds of lives. The authorities have not released official figures but have established a commission to investigate.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured the election with 98% of the votes, which the opposition labelled a “mockery of democracy”.
Leading challengers were prevented from participating: Tundu Lissu has been detained on treason accusations he denies, while Luhaga Mpina was disqualified due to procedural issues.
Observers monitoring the election noted irregularities and concluded the process did not meet democratic benchmarks.
Authorities cut off internet access for five days starting on 29 October and warned against sharing protest images online.
Graphic footage showing deceased Tanzanians has circulated widely, with some videos independently verified as genuine.
Yet the government has condemned the coverage, arguing it misrepresents the country’s safety and reputation.
On Sunday, government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa stated that the commission would clarify the events, although doubts persist about its impartiality.
Following the demonstrations, at least 240 individuals faced treason charges, but the president later called for reduced tension and asked prosecutors to “show leniency”. Many of those accused are reportedly already free.
On Monday, while declaring the festivities canceled, Nchemba urged citizens to refrain from violence and stressed the necessity of political discussion.
“I urge my fellow Tanzanians to come together and discuss the issues affecting us. Let us not return to what we went through, because the consequences are irreparable,” he said.
President Samia assumed office in 2021 as Tanzania’s first female president after the passing of President John Magufuli.
Initially lauded for softening political repression, her administration has since faced a shrinking space for dissent.
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