SAMIA DEFENDS USE OF FORCE ON PROTESTERS IN TANZANIA’S RECENT GENERAL ELECTION, CITING “ATTEMPTED COUP” THREAT

SAMIA DEFENDS USE OF FORCE ON PROTESTERS IN TANZANIA’S RECENT GENERAL ELECTION, CITING “ATTEMPTED COUP” THREAT

By: The Citizen

Tanzania’s government has defended the use of force during post-election unrest, describing it as a necessary measure to prevent what it says was an “attempted coup.”

Addressing Dar es Salaam elders on Tuesday at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC), President Samia Suluhu Hassan said security forces were deployed to stop protesters from trying to topple her administration. She dismissed criticism from neighbouring countries as hypocritical, arguing that those condemning Tanzania had dealt with similar unrest within their own borders.

“I heard people saying that we used a lot of force. What, then, is little force?” she asked. “Should we have just stood by and watched protesters overthrow our government instead of taking action?”

President Samia argued that regional critics had themselves used heavy force during recent domestic protests.

“These protests have not happened in Tanzania alone,” she said. “We have also witnessed such protests in our neighbouring countries. Many protesters took to the streets, but their governments used a lot of force.”

She accused sections of the international community of applying double standards, questioning why those “quick to lecture Tanzania” had failed to issue comparable criticism elsewhere. The president vowed that security agencies would continue to track individuals suspected of orchestrating the violence, saying the country’s peace and stability must be preserved.

Her remarks come amid growing pressure from opposition groups and international human rights organisations demanding accountability for deaths reported during the election-related clashes. Several organisations, including the Madrid Bar Association and partner groups, have filed a petition at the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking investigations into alleged state-linked abuses, including killings, torture, and forced disappearances.

The October 29 elections were marked by violent clashes that left several people dead, among them a Kenyan teacher.

President Samia suggested that foreign actors had fuelled the unrest, claiming Tanzania’s stability “has irritated outsiders” who sought to destabilise the country. She expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, saying, “When one Tanzanian sheds blood, we all feel the pain.”

She noted that the destruction of property and business disruptions pointed to “the magnitude of the plot” behind the violence. Referring to videos circulated online, she claimed that many young protesters appeared to have been coached, echoing events seen in Madagascar—an indication, she said, of a coordinated plan to undermine the government.

The president questioned whether the incidents qualified as genuine demonstrations.

“Why on the day of the election?” she asked, describing the unrest as “orchestrated violence with specific objectives.”

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