Tanzania marks Independence Day amid youth fury and protests

President Samia Suluhu takes oath of office during her inauguration. [File, Standard]

Tanzania marks its 64th Independence Day today under a dark, unprecedented cloud. For the first time, there will be no celebrations, only protests.

The nation braces for a wave of anti-government demonstrations aimed at President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s disputed re-election, a 98 per cent landslide that the opposition has repeatedly denounced as a choreographed coronation rather than a democratic contest.

In a move widely seen as an attempt to choke off unrest, President Suluhu’s administration quietly scrapped the national festivities, even as police declared the planned demonstrations illegal and warned of firm action. The United Nations Office for Human Rights, however, cautioned Tanzania against excessive use of force, reminding authorities of their obligations to uphold freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.

Tanzanian authorities have issued a strict advisory for citizens to remain indoors today, except for those offering essential services.

The October 29, General Election left a trail of bloodshed, the worst the country has witnessed since independence. Opposition leaders estimate that thousands were killed and scores detained as security forces mounted a sweeping crackdown. Like Kenya’s past anti-government protests, Tanzania’s uprising is largely driven by a fearless, disenfranchised youth, predominantly Gen Z.

Chadema’s Tundu Lissu, the main opposition challenger, continues to face treason charges after surviving brutal assaults at pro-opposition rallies. To date, scores of young people remain imprisoned, while dozens of families search in vain for missing relatives, with some forced to bury symbolic graves marked by clothing or a single shoe.

The Standard spoke to families in Dar es Salaam, including the relatives of Earnest Kimbaga, who last appeared in a viral clip of police chasing young men. “Since then, our world has gone silent. We don’t know if he was killed or if he is alive. We are living in the dark,” they said.

Despite mounting evidence of mass graves and widespread killings, the government has refused to release official figures, deepening national anxiety. “The continued absence of transparent information risks further eroding public trust and heightening tensions,” the UN warned.

The Trump administration has issued security alerts for Americans in Tanzania, signalling a possible review of ties over free speech restrictions, investor barriers, and escalating violence against civilians.

Public anger has also been fuelled by President Suluhu’s appointments of family members to key ministerial positions, raising concerns of nepotism. President Suluhu appointed her daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, as Deputy Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, and her son-in-law, Mohamed Mchengerwa, as Minister of Health.

Former President Jakaya Kikwete’s son was also appointed Minister for Governance, reinforcing perceptions of a government for the politically connected.

Tanzanians fleeing across the border into Kenya report harassment, injuries, and fear for their lives.

Gunshot wound

For weeks, Kelvin Agutu Nyamori has been recovering at AAR Hospital in Nairobi, nursing a gunshot wound to his left leg. He was shot on election day in the Goba area near Mbezi Beach, but could not find specialised care at home. Several hospitals reportedly turned him away, afraid of state reprisals for treating victims of the crackdown.

“I was shot at around 4pm, and for hours we moved from one facility to another trying to get help,” Nyamori told The Standard. “I was lucky to find a hospital that agreed to bandage me and release me immediately, they didn’t want anyone to know I had been treated there. That same night, I made my way across the border into Kenya to seek proper medical care.”

While at the same Nairobi facility undergoing treatment, he met Phineas Philip Oluoch, who suffered a severe back injury during the unrest. The two quickly became comrades in exile.

“It has been tough trying to survive in Nairobi,” Oluoch said. “I don’t know anyone here, and I know it’s still not safe to return home. Our lives have been turned upside down.”

To date, several high-profile figures remain missing in Tanzania, including Ambassador Humphrey Polepole, an outspoken government critic who was reportedly taken from his home, leaving behind only bloodstains.

Others still missing according to activists include Fortunatus Buyobe, an activist allegedly picked up on December 6, by individuals claiming to be police officers.

Tito Magoti, a prominent Tanzanian international human rights lawyer sees today’s demonstrations marking a defining turning point for the East African nation.
“The threats, the intimidation from state authorities, none of it shakes us. If anything, it strengthens our resolve to fight for a better Tanzania. We are dealing with a regime desperate to stay in power at any cost,” he says.

“Tanzanians are yearning for a new constitution, a new electoral system. These demands are not far-fetched; they speak directly to our lived realities,” he added.

For a nation long seen as a regional sanctuary of peace, Tanzania’s descent into fear has stunned observers. The scale of the violence has led human rights organisations to urge the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes against humanity.

Online, Gen Z activists have flooded social media with peaceful protest calls, carrying banners and images of victims while explicitly avoiding property damage. “We shall be peaceful… All we want is to free our country from oppressors,” said one activist, Daniel.

President Suluhu has defended the use of force, claiming it was necessary to protect property, while blaming foreign actors for stirring unrest. During the October election, the government imposed an internet blackout, restricting media access and curbing information flow.

Speaking from hiding in an exclusive interview with The Standard, Chadema’s Head of Information, Gerva Lyenda, dismissed government attempts to tie the demonstrations to the opposition.

“They have tried and are still desperately trying to link us to the financing of these protests. They have looked for every possible way to place Chademaat the centre, but they have found nothing. The truth is simple: these protests are entirely organic. They are driven by ordinary citizens who are dissatisfied with bad leadership and demanding change,” Lyenda said.

Magoti agrees; “The force behind these protests is the people. There is no central command. Tanzanians are rallying behind one another to say: this is not the Tanzania we want. It is purely organic.”

Since the restoration of internet access, The Standard has been inundated with graphic evidence of the carnage, images showing bodies of protesters felled by live bullets, some shot in the back as they fled, others with single, precise head wounds suggesting a deliberate intent to kill. “From our intel, most of the protesters were killed immediately after the curfew was imposed,” Lyenda revealed, adding; “During those hours, police were spraying bullets at anything or anyone that moved, without distinction. They killed children, they killed women, people who had nothing to do with the protests. They spilled so much blood for no reason other than to cling to power.”

Some Kenyan youth are also voicing solidarity. Wanjira Wanjiru, an activist affiliated with Nairobi’s Mathare Social Justice Centre, says the moment calls for regional unity as Tanzanian youth take to the streets.

“It’s quite clear there is a strong camaraderie among East African heads of state when it comes to silencing dissent. That’s why, now more than ever, we must unite as a region and wage a fierce struggle. I urge my fellow young people in Tanzania to rise up and reclaim their country,” she said.