DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — December 9, 2025 — Tanzania’s Independence Day, known locally as D9, was marked by a heavy and foreboding silence in its major cities, as nationwide protests planned by activists over a disputed election were met with a massive preemptive security crackdown.
Deserted streets and visible police and military patrols replaced the usual celebrations in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Dodoma. Public transport was suspended, and most citizens heeded a government advisory for non-essential workers to stay home, leading to an “unusually slow start to the day”. The government had canceled all official Independence Day festivities last month, redirecting funds to repair damage from violent post-election unrest.
Timeline of a Political Crisis
The following timeline outlines the key events that led to the current standoff:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2025 | General Election held; main opposition parties were barred from fielding a presidential candidate. |
| Oct 29 – Nov 3 | Post-election protests erupt; met with a deadly crackdown and a nationwide internet shutdown. |
| Mid-November | Authorities begin arresting activists and opposition supporters for social media posts about planned December 9 protests. |
| Nov 18 | President Hassan announces a government commission of inquiry into the post-election violence. |
| Dec 4 | The United States announces it is “comprehensively reviewing” its relationship with Tanzania due to the violence. |
| Dec 8 | Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International issue statements condemning the pre-protest crackdown and calling for restraint. |
| Dec 9 | Independence Day. Planned protests fail to materialize as cities are locked down under heavy security. |
Allegations of Post-Election Atrocities and a Government Crackdown
The planned “D9” protests were a direct response to the state violence that followed the October 29 election, which President Samia Suluhu Hassan won with over 97% of the vote. Opposition parties and international groups allege a brutal suppression.
A senior doctor at a major Dar es Salaam hospital, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, told AFP that during the unrest, over 200 patients were taken from the facility by men in green trucks, and more than 300 bodies were removed from the morgue. These accounts support allegations from Western embassies and UN experts that bodies were concealed to hide the true death toll.
In the weeks leading to December 9, the government intensified pressure. Police confirmed arresting at least 10 people for “online offenses” related to protest planning. Arrests included a hospital worker for messages in a doctors’ union WhatsApp group and a teacher for “provocative” social media posts. Meta reported restricting Instagram accounts in Tanzania following a government request to block content about “peaceful protests”.
Mounting International Pressure and Defiant Rhetoric
The crisis has drawn severe international criticism. A coalition of civil society groups has petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged crimes against humanity. The United States is reconsidering its bilateral ties, and the European Union has suspended aid.
President Hassan has responded defiantly. In a recent speech, she framed the post-election violence as an attempted coup and defended the security forces’ actions. She also lashed out at Western critics, asking, “Do they still think they’re still our masters, our colonizers?”.
A Nation Divided and Living in Fear
The tense atmosphere has left citizens anxious and divided. An Arusha resident defiantly told the BBC, “We will move out, it is our right to protest… we have plans so wait, you will see what will happen”. Conversely, a resident of Mwanza expressed fear: “I am scared for my children… I feel protesters should call off plans… we need to live in peace”.
The human cost extends beyond Tanzania’s borders. The family of John Oduor, a Kenyan teacher shot in Dar es Salaam on election day, has been unable to repatriate his body for over a month. “Each day without answers,” his sister told NPR, “is harder than the last”.
As the sun set on a quiet and tense Independence Day, the fundamental tensions in Tanzania remain unresolved. The government’s commission of inquiry, composed of former state officials without civil society representation, has yet to release findings. With hundreds detained, accusations of atrocities unaddressed, and the nation’s international relationships under strain, the path forward remains uncertain.
