Tanzania reassures world after unrest as police issue SMS warnings over election dissent
In an unusual move, police have begun sending SMS warnings urging citizens not to circulate images or videos deemed "alarming" or "demeaning," a step widely seen as an attempt to restrict documentation of alleged abuses and tighten information control.
Tanzania's government has moved to reassure foreign audiences amid mounting scrutiny over its disputed election and reported post-poll violence.
In a statement directed at international media, the foreign ministry insisted peace and stability remain the state's "foremost priority" and warned it "will not tolerate any incident intended to cause insecurity or instability."
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The message follows a landslide victory for President Samia Suluhu Hassan, officially credited with 97.66 per cent of the vote, after elections condemned by opposition groups and independent monitors as neither free nor credible.
Her swearing-in ceremony, held in a military facility and attended by only four African leaders, underscored the unease across the region.
While Dodoma touts transparency and reform, reports from civil society and human-rights groups point to mass arrests, a heavy security deployment, and a rising death toll from clashes between police and protesters.
In an unusual move, police have begun sending SMS warnings urging citizens not to circulate images or videos deemed "alarming" or "demeaning," a step widely seen as an attempt to restrict documentation of alleged abuses and tighten information control.
International reactions are sharpening.
US legislators have called for a reassessment of ties with Tanzania, citing "fraudulent elections" and threats to citizens' safety.
Observers say the government's tone reflects a bid to blunt diplomatic fallout while projecting firmness at home—an increasingly familiar balancing act for East Africa's once-celebrated democratic experiment.
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