On November 14, 2025, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan stood before a new session of parliament and addressed a nation still reeling from the violent aftermath of last month’s election. Her speech, the first since the disputed October 29 vote, marked a turning point: she announced the creation of an inquiry commission to investigate the deadly unrest that followed her re-election, which was marred by the exclusion of main opposition candidates and allegations of severe human rights violations.
"The government has taken the step of establishing an inquiry commission to investigate what happened, so that we may know the root cause of the problem," President Hassan told lawmakers, as reported by Reuters. Her remarks were somber, acknowledging the pain felt by the nation. "I extend my condolences to all families who lost their loved ones," she said, offering the most public recognition yet of the deaths that occurred during the crackdown.
The unrest erupted after opposition candidates from the two main parties were barred from the presidential ballot, fueling widespread anger and frustration. President Hassan ultimately secured nearly 98% of the vote—a figure the opposition denounced as a "mockery of democracy," according to BBC. For many Tanzanians, the overwhelming result, combined with the exclusion of credible challengers, deepened suspicions about the fairness of the electoral process.
Protests quickly swept across the country, led largely by young people. The government responded with force: troops were deployed, an internet blackout was imposed, and hundreds were detained over three days of clashes. As reported by Al Jazeera, the opposition claims that hundreds of people were killed in the violence, while the government has not released any official death toll. The United Nations estimates that the number of deaths may be in the hundreds, but opposition groups have alleged that over a thousand were killed.
The crackdown shocked a nation that, for nearly six decades, had been known for its relative calm and political consensus. "Reports of families desperately searching everywhere for their loved ones, visiting one police station after another and one hospital after another are harrowing," said U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk, who has urged Tanzanian authorities to conduct a full and transparent investigation into the killings and serious human rights abuses. Amnesty International echoed these calls, demanding that authorities "promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate all killings by security agents and bring to justice in fair trials those suspected of being responsible."
The government has consistently rejected allegations of widespread rights abuses, insisting that the vote was fair and that security forces acted appropriately. Still, the African Union’s election observers reported incidents of ballot box stuffing, adding to the controversy surrounding the election’s legitimacy.
In her address to parliament, President Hassan struck a conciliatory tone, particularly towards the hundreds of young people who had been detained and charged with treason for their alleged involvement in the protests. "I realise that many youths who were arrested and charged with treason did not know what they were doing," she said, according to Al Jazeera. "As the mother of this nation, I direct the law enforcement agencies and especially the office of the director of police to look at the level of offences committed by our youths. For those who seem to have followed the crowd and did not intend to commit a crime, let them erase their mistakes."
Her appeal for leniency was underscored by a biblical reference. Quoting scripture, she said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." She called on prosecutors to consider reducing or even dropping charges for individuals swept up in the unrest without fully understanding their actions. "For those who were just following the wave, let them be counselled and released," she added, as reported by AP.
President Hassan’s overtures did not go unchallenged. Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a Tanzanian activist based in Kenya, responded to the president’s remarks by calling for her resignation. "This savagery, this atrocity that you and your gang committed, must give a way! There is no peace without justice," she wrote on X, reflecting the deep mistrust that persists among many opposition supporters and activists.
Beyond calls for accountability, the opposition party Chadema has insisted that any genuine reconciliation must include constitutional reforms. The party’s leader, Tundu Lissu, remains in prison facing treason charges, his trial still on hold in the wake of the protests. His deputy, John Heche, was arrested on election day and only released three weeks later. Chadema had been advocating for reforms long before the election, but their push for changes to the electoral system ultimately led to their exclusion from the ballot.
Responding to these demands, President Hassan committed to beginning a constitutional review process within her administration’s first 100 days. "She reaffirmed her commitment to initiating a new constitution-making process," noted BBC. This move, if followed through, could mark a significant shift in Tanzanian politics, where the opposition has long accused the ruling CCM party of using legal and administrative tactics to sideline challengers and entrench its power.
The backdrop to these events is a country in flux. Analysts have drawn parallels between the youth-led protests in Tanzania and similar Gen Z mobilizations against entrenched leadership seen in other parts of the world. In the months leading up to the election, the political climate grew increasingly tense, with reports of abductions, arrests, and even killings of opposition members. For a time, President Hassan’s leadership had been viewed as more open than that of her predecessor, John Magufuli. She had allowed opposition parties to rally and promised to re-open Tanzania to the world through her "4R" doctrine—reconciliation, resilience, rebuilding, and reform. But the pre-election crackdown shattered many of those hopes.
Even as the country grapples with political crisis, Tanzania’s economic outlook remains robust. The government expects 6% growth in 2025, driven in part by major infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, and power plants, according to Reuters. The country’s significant copper and gold production also continues to bolster its prospects.
Still, the path forward is uncertain. President Hassan has called on all political parties to meet and discuss how to conduct politics without causing harm to the country, emphasizing dialogue and unity. Yet, as the inquiry commission begins its work and the nation waits for answers, the wounds from the election unrest remain raw. For many Tanzanians, true reconciliation will depend not just on official investigations or constitutional reforms, but on a genuine reckoning with the violence and a commitment to justice for those who suffered in its wake.
The coming months will reveal whether President Hassan’s promises can bridge the deep divides exposed by the election, or whether Tanzania’s image as a beacon of stability in East Africa will be further tested by the unresolved grievances of its people.
