Tanzania’s president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has vowed to introduce constitutional reforms following last year’s post election violence that left hundreds dead.
A government appointed commission released its findings on Thursday, reporting that 518 people were killed and at least 2,000 injured. Opposition groups dispute these figures, claiming the death toll runs into the thousands and dismissing the report as an effort to cover up government wrongdoing.
Hassan said the commission’s conclusions would shape upcoming constitutional amendments and confirmed plans to establish a national reconciliation commission. She also announced the creation of a criminal investigative body to examine the unrest.
Reflecting on the events of October 2025, Hassan said the violence had only worsened the country’s challenges. The new investigative body will work to identify those responsible for organizing, funding, and carrying out criminal acts, including looting and destruction of infrastructure.
It will also look into reports of missing bodies and allegations of abductions. More than 200 people remain unaccounted for, with some families claiming they saw relatives’ bodies in morgues before they later disappeared.
The violence erupted on October 29, 2025, when young people took to the streets, accusing the government of suppressing opposition voices. At the time, a leading opposition figure was imprisoned on treason charges, and another major opposition candidate had been barred from running.
Authorities shut down internet access for several days during the unrest—a decision Hassan later apologized for to the diplomatic community, promising it would not happen again.
Hassan, who assumed office after the death of John Magufuli, was elected to a full term with 97% of the vote. However, some international observers said the election did not meet standards for being free and fair.
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