Publish Commission Report, Ensure Accountability
The commission established to investigate violence during and after Tanzania's October 2025 general elections submitted its findings to President Samia Suluhu Hassan on April 23, but it missed an opportunity to establish the full truth and lay the foundation for accountability.
The commission chair, Mohamed Chande Othman, said the commission documented 518 deaths across 11 regions, noting that the figure may not be conclusive, and could not confirm media reports of mass graves. The full report has not been made public.
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The commission reported allegations by victims and witnesses that security officers shot, injured, or killed people in their homes and shops. These findings are consistent with Human Rights Watch reporting that some people killed or injured by police officers were not involved in protests at all. But Othman did not meaningfully assess the lawfulness of the security forces' conduct or patterns of alleged unlawful use of force. He said this issue warrants further "investigation" but did not specify what such an inquiry would entail.
The commission made some positive recommendations, including ensuring access to free medical services for injured people left with disabilities and allocating resources for psychosocial or mental health support. It also recommended promoting mechanisms for the government to better address citizens' concerns and strengthen the playing field for all political actors.
In response, President Hassan said the government would establish a body to investigate the alleged planning, coordinating, and financing of the protests. But she did not address the security forces' conduct, despite the seriousness of allegations and expressions of concern by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
Tanzania's international partners should make it clear that the Tanzanian authorities have not yet delivered a much-needed, thorough investigation into the role of the security forces in the election-related violence and should maintain pressure on the authorities to deliver justice and accountability.
Any forthcoming investigations should explicitly investigate the role of security forces and reports of mass graves, operate independently and transparently, and include international or regional expertise to strengthen public trust. More immediately, the government should make the commission's full report public.
Oryem Nyeko, Senior Researcher, Africa Division
