Tanzania President Samia launches inquiry into alleged paid participation in election unrest
President Samia said the investigation would examine the causes of the unrest, the involvement of political parties, and the role of both local and foreign organisations.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has claimed that some young people were paid to participate in post-election protests following last month’s vote.
Speaking on Thursday during the launch of a commission of inquiry, President Samia said the investigation would examine the causes of the unrest, the involvement of political parties, and the role of both local and foreign organisations. She suggested that many of the youths who joined the demonstrations were motivated by money rather than genuine grievances.
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“We must also look at the role of political parties and our non-governmental organisations, both domestic and foreign. We are told that the youths who took to the streets were paid,” President Samia said. “They were paid money first, that’s when they went to the streets. And many of them went to the streets with the money they were given. Where did the money come from? So, let us look into that.”
The president emphasised the need to understand the purpose of the youths’ actions and whether they were genuinely seeking justice. She also instructed the commission to scrutinise statements made by political opponents.
“When this happened, the youths were mobilised to the streets to demand justice. We want to know what rights these youths feel were denied and why they went together to demand them. As we carry out this work, we must examine the words of opposition parties—those who said it must burn, it’s unbearable, someone must leave, the election will not take place. What exactly caused them to do that?” she said.
President Samia announced that the commission was formed under the authority of the 2023 Commissions of Inquiry Act, Chapter 32. Chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, the panel has been given three months to complete its work. It is mandated to investigate all incidents of unrest linked to the elections, assess the roles of political parties, civil society, and youth involvement, and make recommendations to prevent future violence.
The head of state thanked the Commission members for accepting this important responsibility in the national interest and emphasised her confidence in their ability to carry out this crucial task with professionalism and integrity. Additionally, the President stressed that the work and recommendations of the Commission will lay the foundation for the formation of a Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission, as she had promised during the first 100 days of her second term in office.
The president said forming a domestic commission first would allow Tanzania to assess its own situation before collaborating with any international teams. “Concerning what happened, I decided that before international commissions are brought in, we should have our own internal commission. Let it do the work, and when foreign teams arrive, they will liaise with the commission that had already started its work,” she said.
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