United Republic of Tanzania
As of early 2026, the human rights situation in the United Republic of Tanzania has shifted from a period of relative openness back to a climate of intense repression. The primary driver of this deterioration was the October 2025 general election, which international observers and UN experts have described as a "wave of terror" that resulted in the most significant human rights crisis the country has seen in decades.
The current critical issues include:
1. Post-Election Violence and Lethal Force
The aftermath of the October 2025 vote—which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared the winner with over 97% of the vote—was marked by a historic crackdown on dissent.
Extrajudicial Killings: UN experts and rights groups estimated that at least 700 individuals (with some opposition estimates as high as 2,000) were killed by security forces during post-election protests.
Concealing Evidence: Human rights monitors reported that security forces were seen removing bodies from streets and hospitals and taking them to undisclosed locations, allegedly to hide the scale of the fatalities.
Treason Charges: In a massive legal crackdown, over 1,700 individuals, including opposition leaders and youth protesters, were arrested. Many have been charged with treason, a non-bailable offense.
2. Repression of Political Opposition
The main opposition party, CHADEMA, has been effectively paralyzed by the state.
Detention of Leaders: Tundu Lissu, the party’s leader, was arrested in April 2025 and remains in detention as of February 2026, facing treason charges. Other senior officials, including the Deputy Secretary General, have also been detained.
Political Bans: Leading up to the elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) banned CHADEMA from participating in elections until 2030, citing a failure to sign a government-mandated "code of conduct."
3. Systematic Enforced Disappearances
Tanzania has seen an alarming spike in abductions and "disappearances" carried out by unidentified security operatives.
Targeting Critics: At least 160 cases of enforced disappearances were documented in 2025 alone. Targets include political activists, government critics like Humphrey Polepole, and even members of the clergy who spoke out against abuses.
Transnational Repression: There are emerging reports of "cross-border abductions," where Tanzanian activists living in neighboring Kenya or Uganda have been seized and forcibly returned to Tanzania.
4. Suppression of Indigenous Maasai Rights
The government’s long-standing effort to relocate the Indigenous Maasai people from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) has intensified under the guise of "fortress conservation."
Constructive Eviction: While the government calls it "voluntary relocation," rights groups describe it as forced. Authorities have reportedly cut off essential services like healthcare and schools in Maasai villages to pressure residents to leave.
Land Dispossession: Over 82,000 Maasai are being moved to the Msomera resettlement site, a location that does not accommodate their traditional pastoralist lifestyle and has led to violent clashes with existing residents.
5. Digital Blackout and Media Control
To manage the flow of information during the 2025 crisis, the government utilized aggressive censorship:
Internet Shutdown: A total internet blackout was imposed from late October to early November 2025, which human rights groups say was used to facilitate the lethal crackdown away from international scrutiny.
Website Bans: The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has shut down over 80,000 websites, blogs, and social media accounts for "unethical content." Major platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and Clubhouse have faced prolonged blocks.