Tanzanian president stands by police following deaths of hundreds in October election protests

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan publicly defended the nations security forces on Tuesday, who have faced accusations of killing hundreds of unarmed demonstrators. She claimed the protesters aimed to topple her administration, alleging without evidence that young people had been financially motivated to protest after the disputed October election.

These gatherings were not peaceful protests but acts of violence with harmful intentions, Hassan said in a national address. This was a staged event, orchestrated to destabilize the government. In such circumstances, the government has a duty to protect the country and its citizens. The measures taken were proportional to the threat.

The main opposition party, CHADEMA, maintains that over 2,000 people died following the election. The government has dismissed these figures as greatly inflated, avoiding confirmation of any official death toll while emphasizing the destruction of property instead.

When critics claim we overused force, what would have been the minimal response? Hassan questioned. Should we have waited until the protesters who sought to overthrow the government succeeded?

An independent CNN investigation indicated that police opened fire on unarmed demonstrators who posed no danger. Satellite imagery, eyewitness reports, and videos obtained by CNN also suggested the existence of mass graves north of Dar es Salaam. The government called CNNs reporting misleading but did not dispute the specific evidence.

President Hassan downplayed widespread youth dissatisfaction, labeling the protesters as misled and unpatriotic. The youth had no genuine reason to march; they were manipulated to raise issues that do not concern them, she said during a meeting with community elders in Dar es Salaam.

She also incorrectly claimed the opposition refused to participate in the election which she asserted she won with 98% of the vote despite the fact that the main rival parties were barred from running due to technicalities. CHADEMA leader Tundu Lissu has been detained since April, facing a treason charge that carries the death penalty. Human rights organizations report that numerous other government critics were arrested, disappeared, or allegedly abducted in the lead-up to the election.

The president strongly condemned opposition members, civil society, religious figures, and foreign governments that criticized the harsh response to protests and democratic backsliding. These foreign voices keep telling Tanzania what to do who are they? she asked. Do they still see themselves as our former rulers just because of the financial aid they provide?

Author: Sophia Brooks