Samia Suluhu Hassan

The commission appointed by Samia acknowledged in April 2026 that at least 518 people had been killed during the October 2025 violence, the first official acknowledgement on that scale. It primarily attributed the violence to protesters and recommended a further criminal investigation, while the opposition accused it of whitewashing the security forces' actions.

State of the evidence

Disputed

Attribution

Directly implicated

Vice-President Emmanuel Nchimbi announced his resignation less than a year after taking office; CCM subsequently expelled him for indiscipline. Reuters noted his recent support for a new Constitution, while Associated Press reported analyses linking the split to disagreements with Samia over governance and the violent response to post-election protests.

In response to sustained criticism of Maasai displacement, Samia announced commissions to examine land disputes and certain complaints from affected communities. The initiative was welcomed as a possible corrective measure, alongside demands to suspend evictions and ensure genuine consultation.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

CHADEMA's principal leader, Tundu Lissu, was arrested and charged with treason following speeches calling for electoral reforms. Shortly afterwards, the electoral authority barred CHADEMA from elections until 2030 because the party had refused to sign a code of conduct.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Person targeted by the proceedings

Tundu Lissu

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire, who travelled to Tanzania in connection with Lissu's trial, were arrested, held incommunicado and then expelled. They alleged torture and ill-treatment by state agents; Amnesty International called for an urgent investigation.

State of the evidence

Allegations

The 2025 presidential election took place after CHADEMA's exclusion and Tundu Lissu's prosecution, amid detentions, media restrictions and disappearances. Following the vote, demonstrations were violently suppressed; Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the UN and journalistic investigations reported the use of live ammunition and a very high death toll.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The government encouraged Maasai residents to move from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Msomera. Human Rights Watch documented reductions in healthcare, education and other services and argued that these measures called into question the allegedly voluntary nature of the departures.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Police banned a CHADEMA youth meeting and arrested hundreds of people, including party leaders. Reuters reported more than 400 arrests in an episode that reignited allegations of shrinking political space.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Ally Kibao, a senior CHADEMA official, was abducted by armed men and subsequently found dead with signs of abuse and acid burns on his face. The murder occurred amid reports of disappearances and abductions of critics.

The regulator suspended the online licences of major newspapers for thirty days after an animated video depicted Samia watching news about abductions. The regulator claimed the content threatened national unity and social peace.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The authorities undertook a demarcation operation in Loliondo to reserve a large area for conservation and hunting. Human Rights Watch documented shootings, beatings, detentions and displacement of Maasai communities opposing the measure.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Political responsibility

A framework agreement with DP World concerning Tanzanian ports sparked intense controversy, with opponents condemning overly broad terms and a risk to sovereignty. Human Rights Watch reported the arrest or detention of at least 22 people who had criticised the agreement.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

A reform of Tanzania's intelligence services law was criticised for reducing certain external oversight mechanisms and strengthening the roles of the president and the Director General of TISS.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Freeman Mbowe, chairman of CHADEMA, was arrested in July 2021 while preparing a meeting on constitutional reform and charged with terrorism-related offences. The case fuelled doubts about the political opening promised after Samia Suluhu Hassan took office.

Person targeted by the proceedings

Freeman Mbowe

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

After promising to lift certain restrictions inherited from John Magufuli, Samia's government nevertheless suspended several media outlets in 2021, including the ruling party's newspaper Uhuru and Raia Mwema, while journalists continued reporting arrests and assaults.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility