Tanzanian authorities have issued a stark warning for citizens to remain indoors on Tuesday, the nation’s Independence Day, declaring planned protests as unlawful and characterizing them as an attempted coup.
The warning follows calls to protest by activists and government opponents, a movement fueled by the violent crackdown on demonstrations during last October’s presidential election. International rights groups allege that hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested in the post-election unrest.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed a commission to investigate election-related violence. However, in a statement, she denied that security forces acted improperly. Instead, the President has accused protesters of attempting to overthrow the government.
Police spokesperson David Misime confirmed that security forces have arrested at least 10 people for online posts connected to the planned Tuesday demonstrations. He reiterated that any protests would be met with a firm response, reinforcing the government’s position that the gatherings are illegal.
The escalating tension has drawn international concern. The United Nations has issued a call for the Tanzanian government to respect people’s right to peaceful assembly.
The situation sets the stage for a tense Independence Day, with the government vowing to suppress what it calls an attempted overthrow, while opposition voices seek to protest against alleged electoral injustice and state violence.