What You Need to Know
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has pledged constitutional reform in response to the violence following last year’s elections, which resulted in 518 deaths and thousands injured. A government commission’s findings will guide these amendments, and a criminal investigative body will be established to address the unrest and missing persons.
Africa-Press – Tanzania. Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has promised constitutional reform in response to last year’s post-election violence that left hundreds of people dead.
A government commission set up to investigate the bloodshed announced its findings on Thursday.
It said that 518 people were killed and at least 2,000 injured. The opposition claims thousands of people died and has called the report
Hassan said that the commission’s findings will guide constitutional amendments and promised the establishment of a reconciliation commission.
The president also announced the formation of a criminal investigative body to review the post-election unrest.
said Hassan.
She said that the body will identify those who planned, financed and were involved in criminal acts such as looting and damaging infrastructure.
It will also investigate claims of missing bodies and allegations of abductions, Hassan said.
More than 200 people are still unaccounted for. Several families also report seeing the bodies of their loved ones in the morgue before they later disappeared.
Tanzania experienced post-election violence on October 29, after young people took to the streets, accusing the government of silencing the opposition, as the country’s main opposition party leader remained in prison for treason and the presidential candidate for the second-largest opposition party was barred from running.
The internet was shut down in the country for days, a move that Hassan later apologised to the diplomatic community for and promised would never happen again.
Hassan was seeking a second term in office after serving out the term of her predecessor, John Magufuli, after he died in office.
She won with 97% of the vote, and some international observers said the election fell short of a free and fair vote.
Tanzania has a history of political unrest, particularly surrounding elections. The post-election violence in October 2020 highlighted deep-seated tensions between the government and opposition parties. Allegations of electoral fraud and suppression of dissent have marred the political landscape, leading to calls for reform and accountability. The recent commitment to constitutional amendments by President Hassan reflects an attempt to address these issues and promote national reconciliation. This move comes as the country grapples with the legacy of former President John Magufuli’s controversial rule, which was marked by authoritarian practices and limited political freedoms.
