Cancelled Holiday Fuels Questions Over Tanzania’s Deadly Post-Election Crackdown

Tanzania has cancelled its national Independence Day celebrations for the first time since gaining self-rule, as authorities brace for possible unrest following a violently disputed election that has left the country on edge.

Officials gave no detailed explanation for calling off the annual festivities but privately cite fears of renewed protests by opposition supporters angered by last month’s vote, which was marred by deadly clashes between security forces and demonstrators.

The government has not released an official death toll, insisting reports of mass casualties are exaggerated, but rights groups and witnesses say thousands may have been killed in the post-election crackdown.

Tensions rose further after an international broadcaster published an investigation alleging widespread killings by police and the existence of a mass grave near the commercial capital.

The report included claims that morgues were overwhelmed and that bodies of protesters were secretly buried to conceal the scale of the violence.

Tanzanian authorities have dismissed the allegations as misleading.

The 2025 election, held in late October, unfolded against a backdrop of arrests, candidate disqualifications and heavy security deployments.

The main opposition parties were weakened ahead of the vote after several of their senior figures were detained or blocked from running.

On polling day, demonstrations erupted in major cities over accusations that the process lacked credibility, prompting a harsh response from security forces, including the use of live ammunition and mass arrests.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with an overwhelming margin and was sworn in swiftly at a closed ceremony inside a military compound, departing from the customary public inauguration held in stadiums.

The hurried proceedings fuelled perceptions that the authorities were eager to avoid crowds amid rising public anger.

Opposition leaders have since reported additional arrests of their members, while dozens of protesters face charges ranging from unlawful assembly to treason.

Many families are still searching for missing relatives, adding to the climate of fear and uncertainty.

gandae@businessdayafrica.org