Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has ordered an official investigation into the unrest that erupted during election week, amid accusations that her government used excessive force to crush unprecedented nationwide protests.
Samia, who was declared winner of the October presidential election with 98% of the vote—a result the opposition dismissed as a “mockery of democracy”—announced the formation of a commission of inquiry to establish what happened and who was responsible.
Opposition groups claim that hundreds may have been killed in the post-election violence, though authorities have yet to release an official death toll. At least 240 people were charged with treason in the aftermath of the protests.
Speaking before parliament on Friday, President Samia also directed prosecutors to consider dropping or reducing charges against individuals, particularly young people, who may have participated in the unrest without fully understanding the consequences of their actions.
“I am aware that many young people have been arrested and charged with treason. They did not fully understand what they were getting involved in,” she said. “As a mother and guardian of this nation, I am directing law-enforcement agencies, especially the DPP’s office, to show leniency.”
Quoting the Bible verse “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” the president framed her directive as both a reconciliation gesture and a call for national healing.
Her remarks came just days after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged Tanzanian authorities to conduct a full and transparent investigation into reports of killings and other serious human rights violations during and after the 29 October elections.
The violent scenes that unfolded were shocking for a country long known for political calm and stability. Samia has since called on political parties to engage in dialogue on how to conduct politics peacefully and pledged to revive efforts to draft a new national constitution.
