Tanzania has scrapped its Independence Day celebrations scheduled for December 9, as the government struggles to quell public outrage over alleged mass killings following last month's disputed national elections.
Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said the budget allocated for festivities would instead be redirected to repair public infrastructure damaged during the unrest, urging the country to "come together and discuss the issues affecting the nation" and avoid a return to violence.
The decision coincides with a planned nationwide protest date set by opposition parties and civil society groups.
Rights organisations and opposition figures allege hundreds, and possibly thousands, of demonstrators were shot dead after security forces opened fire on crowds protesting what they describe as a rigged October 29 vote.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared to have won 98 per cent of ballots cast, though several leading opposition candidates were jailed or disqualified in the lead-up to the poll, and observers reported widespread irregularities.
Despite the scale of the alleged bloodshed, the government has not released casualty figures.
Last week, President Samia acknowledged some casualties but did not provide figures and launched a commission to investigate the unrest, while also suggesting that some protesters may have been paid.
The commission was formed under the authority of the 2023 Commissions of Inquiry Act, Chapter 32.
Chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, the panel has been given three months to complete its work. It is mandated to investigate all incidents of unrest linked to the elections, assess the roles of political parties, civil society, and youth involvement, and make recommendations to prevent future violence.
“We must also look at the role of political parties and our non-governmental organisations, both domestic and foreign. We are told that the youths who took to the streets were paid,” President Samia said.
“They were paid money first, that’s when they went to the streets. And many of them went to the streets with the money they were given. Where did the money come from? So, let us look into that.”
The president emphasised the need to understand the purpose of the youths’ actions and whether they were genuinely seeking justice. She also instructed the commission to scrutinise statements made by political opponents.
Though the commission of inquiry has been appointed, critics note it is dominated by loyalists of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
In the wake of chaos, hundreds of young protestors were arrested and charged with treason - an offence that carries the death penalty. In a bid to ease tensions, the government has begun quietly dropping some cases.
On Monday, prosecutors withdrew charges against dozens of suspects in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza, though many will remain under one-year supervision orders. Whether these gestures will calm public anger or embolden those calling for accountability remains unclear.
