Tanzania has cancelled its 9 December Independence Day celebrations, with Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announcing that the funds will instead go towards repairing infrastructure damaged during last month’s post-election unrest.
The move comes on the heels of calls by opposition groups for nationwide demonstrations on Independence Day to protest alleged killings during the disputed 29 October poll. The opposition claims hundreds died in a security crackdown, though the government has not released an official toll and has appointed a commission of inquiry — whose independence rights groups have questioned.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote, a result the opposition dismissed as a “mockery of democracy.” International observers have also cited signs of electoral manipulation and standards falling short of democratic norms.
Authorities imposed a five-day internet shutdown during and after the vote and warned citizens against sharing images from the protests. Despite this, graphic footage of dead bodies has been widely circulated by international media. The government has condemned the reports as attempts to tarnish Tanzania’s image.
More than 240 people were charged with treason in the aftermath, though many have since been released after President Samia urged prosecutors to exercise leniency.
Announcing the cancellation, Nchemba appealed for calm and dialogue: “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.”
President Samia, who took office in 2021 as Tanzania’s first female president, was initially praised for easing political restrictions. However, observers say the political space has tightened once again.
