Tanzania Deploys Ruthless State Force as Explosive Protests Gather Storm

Tanzanian officials have launched a sweeping and unjust campaign of arrests targeting supposed protest coordinators and opposition sympathizers ahead of the nationwide demonstrations slated for December 9, 2025, Human Rights Watch declared. The authorities have been urged to halt the intensifying repression and immediately free everyone detained without legitimate grounds.

Civil society leaders have encouraged citizens to stage peaceful marches on Tanzania’s Independence Day—popularly referred to as D9—to denounce the police’s deadly response surrounding the October 29 general elections. The government abruptly cancelled the usual Independence Day festivities after President Samia Suluhu Hassan ordered that the allocated funds be redirected toward repairing infrastructure damaged during the post-election turmoil. Days later, on December 3, the police announced they were arresting individuals accused of committing “online offenses” and claimed they had been monitoring digital mobilization for the demonstrations.

“The Tanzanian authorities are deepening the atmosphere of intimidation that overshadowed the elections in an attempt to choke off public dissent,” said Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “They must reverse this crackdown and acknowledge Tanzanians’ right to peacefully voice their grievances.”

Since mid-November, police have confirmed detaining at least ten activists and opposition supporters over social media posts tied to the upcoming protests. In several incidents, the arrests were only acknowledged days after viral online reports suggested that the individuals had been seized by unidentified men in plain clothes.

On November 13, police in the Ikungi district announced the arrest of Ambrose Leonce Dede. Authorities accused him of “coordinating and promoting criminal activity through a WhatsApp group operating under the guise of peaceful demonstrations.” They identified Dede as a member of Chadema, the country’s main opposition party, and issued a public warning urging citizens to avoid online groups allegedly managed by people “plotting criminal acts under the cover of peaceful protests.”

In a separate case, police in Geita confirmed on November 19 that they were holding Kibaba Furaha Michael— a healthcare worker and administrator of a doctors’ union WhatsApp group—two days after he was reported missing. A source familiar with the matter said the detention was linked to messages Michael had shared encouraging participation in the December 9 protests.

On November 21, authorities in Mbeya arrested Clemence Mwandambo, a teacher known for outspoken criticism of the government online, accusing him of circulating “provocative” content on Facebook and Instagram.

A week later, on November 28, police announced they were holding Winfrida Charles Malembeka on accusations of spreading “inflammatory information” and “inciting violence and demonstrations” through undisclosed social media platforms.

The crackdown has intensified particularly against Chadema members and supporters, often without any clear legal justification.
On November 21, police revealed they had detained Victoria Swebe—the party’s district chair for Kyela—alongside three others for alleged “incitement.” Swebe had disappeared three days earlier. Chadema also reported the abduction of party member Shabani Mabala on November 29 by men claiming to be police officers. That same day, the party reported the arrest of another supporter, Lucy Shayo, in Tanga, who was being held without charge.

Ahead of the protests, activists have also faced escalated digital surveillance and harassment.

On November 12, police raided a hotel in Dar es Salaam around 9 p.m., seizing laptops, phones, and identification documents belonging to staff members of the Legal and Human Rights Center who were working on-site. Officers ordered them to report to the Zonal Crimes Office the next morning, where the confiscated items were eventually returned. A lawyer familiar with the incident said the staff were interrogated regarding alleged research into election-related violence.

In its December Content Restrictions report, Meta confirmed that it had removed or restricted access to certain content in Tanzania at the request of the Tanzanian Communications Regulatory Authority. The targeted posts, Meta said, included “calls for peaceful demonstrations and criticism of the government during the election period.”

On November 28, the US embassy in Dar es Salaam issued a notice cautioning American citizens that security forces were examining electronic devices for evidence of ties to unrest or politically sensitive material.

Regional and international institutions—including UN human rights experts—have continued to express alarm over reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and mass arbitrary detentions of protesters, opposition figures, and civil society members following the elections.

On November 18, the Office of the President announced the creation of an investigative commission composed of former government officials and retired civil servants tasked with examining “events that led to the disruption of peace during and after the elections.” The commission excludes civil society voices and opposition representatives. On November 29, President Hassan instructed the commission to determine who had financed “the youth who took to the streets demanding their rights.”

Human Rights Watch said the government should revise the commission’s mandate, allow inclusive participation, and ensure credible, impartial investigations into allegations of election-related killings, assaults, and abuses by security forces and unidentified perpetrators—and hold those responsible to account.

Both Tanzanian and international law prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention, and safeguard individuals’ rights to free expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Regional bodies such as the African Union Peace and Security Council and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights are urged to press the Tanzanian authorities to respect these obligations, stop targeting critics, and cooperate with impartial inquiries into post-election violations.

“At this pivotal moment, Tanzanian authorities must prioritize justice and accountability for the grave abuses committed after the elections,” Nyeko said. “Failing to do so would betray the victims and undermine the fundamental rights of all Tanzanians.”

Source: Araba Sey