Tanzania President Defends Security Forces After Deadly Post-Election Crackdown

December 2, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke

Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, on Tuesday defended the actions of security forces during the violent post-election demonstrations that followed the country’s October 29 general elections.

Speaking during an address in Dar es Salaam, Hassan said the force applied by the security agencies was “necessary and proportionate” to the threat posed by protesters, insisting that authorities moved to prevent what she described as an organised attempt to destabilise the government.

“The force that was used corresponds to the situation at hand,” Hassan said. “When we are told that we used excessive force… were we supposed to simply watch that mob of demonstrators who were prepared to overthrow the government until they succeeded?”

Her defence comes amid growing local and international criticism over the state’s handling of the unrest.

Opposition political groups and international human rights organisations have accused security forces of carrying out a large-scale violent crackdown on demonstrators who poured into the streets shortly after the electoral commission declared Hassan winner with 98 percent of the vote.

According to opposition figures, more than 1,000 people lost their lives during three days of confrontations claim the government has repeatedly dismissed as exaggerated and politically motivated.

The October 29 election itself has been widely disputed. Several major opposition candidates were either disqualified in the weeks leading up to the poll or detained on charges critics say were politically motivated, leaving Hassan with little competition. The electoral commission later announced her landslide victory, a result that triggered widespread anger and protests across several regions.

The government has continued to maintain that the demonstrations were not peaceful and had escalated into actions aimed at toppling the administration. Rights groups, however, insist that security forces responded with unnecessary and disproportionate violence, calling for independent investigations into the events.

International observers have also raised concerns about the political environment surrounding the elections, including restrictions on internet access, detention of opposition figures, and limitations placed on media reporting.

Despite the criticism, President Hassan said the government remains committed to maintaining order and vowed that security forces will continue to act “within the law” to protect the state from what she described as coordinated attempts to create instability.

The fallout from the election and subsequent clashes continues to generate tensions both within Tanzania and abroad, as calls grow for transparency and accountability regarding the events surrounding the vote and the government’s response.