Tanzania has cancelled its Independence Day celebrations scheduled for next month, redirecting funds to rebuild infrastructure damaged during recent election-related unrest, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announced on Monday, November 24, 2025.
The decision follows calls from opposition groups and civil society for public protests on December 9, marking Independence Day, to denounce mass killings that occurred after the contested general election on October 29.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the election with 98% of the vote, but opposition parties have rejected the results as “completely fabricated” and “not genuine.” Her main challengers faced legal and administrative barriers: Chadema leader Tundu Lissu has been detained on treason charges since April, while ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina was disqualified on technical grounds.
In response to post-election demonstrations, thousands took to the streets, prompting authorities to crack down on protesters, a move human rights groups have described as “violent” and “repressive.” Opposition parties estimate that hundreds were killed during the unrest. The government has yet to release an official death toll but has established a commission of inquiry, which opposition figures have criticized over concerns about its independence.
Addressing the public on Monday, Nchemba urged Tanzanians to avoid violence and engage in dialogue.
“I urge my fellow Tanzanians to come together and discuss the issues affecting us. Let us not return to what we went through, because the consequences are irreparable,” he said.
