Tanzania blocks independence day protests, calls them a ‘coup’

Authorities in Tanzania are warning people to stay at home on Tuesday, saying that protests planned to mark the country’s Independence Day are unlawful and constitute an attempted coup.

Activists and government opponents have called for protests after the violent crackdown on demonstrations during October’s presidential election. Rights groups say hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested.

"Those protests are not permitted and are unlawful ... that is not a protest, that is a coup," Home Affairs Minister George Simbachawene said in a media briefing in Dar es Salaam on Monday. "Our security organs will handle them.”

The police said on Friday that any demonstration would be illegal since authorities had not received any formal notification from organisers.

In a video posted on X on Monday, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba urged people to stay home, without directly referring to the expected protests.

"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.

Police have confirmed the arrest of at least 10 activists and opposition supporters for online posts connected to the planned protests.

Heavy deployments of police and army were visible on Monday along major roads in Dar es Salaam and the northern city of Arusha, witnesses said.

The United Nations has called on the government to respect people’s right to non-violent protest and warned against the use of excessive force.

Post-election protests

The October protests were fuelled by the exclusion of leading opposition candidates from the presidential election. Incumbent Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with nearly 98 percent of the vote.

The government has acknowledged people were killed, without providing its own death toll, but it has rejected allegations that police used excessive force.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed a commission to investigate election-related violence but denies that security forces acted improperly, instead accusing protesters of trying to overthrow the government.