Tanzania has called off its independence day celebrations scheduled for 9 December, redirecting the funds toward repairing infrastructure damaged in last month’s post-election unrest, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announced on Monday.
The decision comes as opposition groups had urged citizens to use the holiday as a moment of national protest, accusing security forces of killing hundreds of people following the disputed October vote. The government has not released an official death toll and has appointed a commission of inquiry to examine the violence.
Nchemba said the money originally allocated for the annual commemoration would instead support rebuilding efforts in areas affected by clashes between security forces and protesters. He appealed for calm, saying Tanzanians should prioritise dialogue over confrontation. “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,” he said during the announcement.
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Opposition parties maintain that the unrest stemmed from a vote that excluded the president’s key challengers and lacked basic safeguards. Their calls for demonstrations had raised concerns of renewed violence on the anniversary itself.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote. Her main rivals, Tundu Lissu and Luhaga Mpina, were unable to participate — Lissu due to treason charges he denies, and Mpina after his candidacy was rejected on procedural grounds.
Observer groups reported indications that the election fell short of democratic norms, noting irregularities and concerns around fairness. According to Reuters and the BBC, independent monitors said the process showed signs of manipulation.
During the unrest that followed, the government imposed a five-day internet blackout from election day on 29 October, warning citizens against sharing images from protests. Graphic footage of bodies and injured demonstrators later circulated online, with international media verifying some of the material as genuine.
Officials have criticised those images, arguing they distort the situation and harm the country’s reputation. Government spokesman Gerson Msigwa said on Sunday that the fact-finding commission would “shed light” on the events, though human rights groups have questioned its independence.
In a significant escalation, an international coalition of lawyers and rights organisations submitted an eighty-two page request to the International Criminal Court on 13 November, urging an investigation into possible crimes against humanity committed during the unrest. The submission alleges mass killings and the secret disposal of more than 500 bodies.
The filing was made public on Tuesday and names President Samia and senior officials. The government has not commented on the document.
Authorities detained at least 240 people on treason charges linked to the protests, though many have since been released after President Samia instructed prosecutors to “show leniency” in an effort to ease tensions.
