Prosecutors in Tanzania have charged 98 individuals with treason over their alleged roles in the violent protests that erupted following last week’s general election, according to court filings on Friday, November 7, 2025.
The unrest came amid widespread allegations of electoral malpractice. The main opposition party, CHADEMA, and several human rights groups have claimed that security forces killed more than 1,000 people during the demonstrations. However, the government dismissed those figures as “exaggerated”, without providing an official death toll.
The treason charges mark the first major legal action against those accused of participating in the post-election violence. Religious leaders have warned that the prosecutions risk deepening the divisions caused by the disputed vote.
A senior cleric, Bishop Benson Bagonza of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, condemned the charges, saying they would only inflame tensions.
“The only option for the government to keep at least the relative peace now is … to grieve with the people instead of arresting and taking people to court,” he said.
Despite repeated attempts, government spokespersons declined to comment on the development.
Court Documents Cite Attempt to Intimidate Government
According to filings before the Resident Magistrate Court of Dar es Salaam, prosecutors alleged that the accused “formed an intention to obstruct the 2025 general election for the purpose of intimidating the Executive of the Republic of Tanzania” and caused damage to government property during the unrest.
The documents provided few details about individual defendants, except one case involving a businesswoman accused of encouraging people to buy teargas masks from her store ahead of the demonstrations.
None of the other defendants appeared to be public figures, and Boniface Mwabukusi, president of the main lawyers’ association in mainland Tanzania, said most were not represented by legal counsel.
The protests were largely sparked by the exclusion of the two leading opposition candidates from the presidential ballot, including CHADEMA leader Tundu Lissu, who himself was charged with treason in April.
Following the contested vote, the electoral commission declared incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with nearly 98 percent of the vote. She was sworn in on Monday for another term.
Observers Question Election Credibility
Election observers from the African Union described the poll as not credible, citing evidence of ballot box stuffing and other irregularities.
The Tanzanian government, however, dismissed the criticism, insisting the election was free, fair, and transparent.
