Tanzania’s Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has urged citizens to remain indoors on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, as activists call for nationwide protests over what they describe as the violent suppression of demonstrations following October’s disputed elections.
The appeal comes amid growing international concern after the United Nations reported that hundreds of people were likely killed during post-election unrest sparked by the exclusion of key opposition candidates. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the election with nearly 98% of the vote, a result the opposition and rights groups have dismissed as fraudulent.
While the government has acknowledged that deaths occurred, it has denied allegations that security forces used excessive force to disperse protesters.
In a televised address posted on the government’s official X account on Monday, Nchemba urged calm, stating that citizens should stay home and avoid public gatherings on December 9, Tanzania’s Independence Day.
“The government advises all citizens who will not have an emergency on December 9 to use the day for rest and celebrate it at home, except for those whose work duties require them to be at their work stations,” he said.
Authorities have since cancelled official Independence Day celebrations, citing security concerns. Police warned that any protests would be considered illegal since no formal notification had been received from organizers.
By Monday evening, witnesses reported heavy deployments of police and soldiers along major roads in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, and in the northern city of Arusha, both traditional centers of opposition support.
President Hassan, who has established a commission to investigate election-related violence, has repeatedly denied that security forces acted improperly. She accused opposition groups of attempting to “destabilize the government under the guise of protest.”
The United States last week said it was reassessing its relationship with Tanzania, citing “credible reports of violence against civilians” as well as concerns over restrictions on free speech, religious freedom, and foreign investment.
The latest developments underscore Tanzania’s mounting political tensions as the government faces pressure at home and abroad to ensure accountability for the alleged post-election killings.
