A government-appointed commission in Tanzania has released its official report on the violence surrounding the disputed October 2025 elections, confirming at least 518 deaths while acknowledging the true toll is likely higher. The protests erupted after President Samia Suluhu Hassan claimed victory with 98% of the vote following an opposition boycott. The commission’s chair, retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, claimed the violence was planned and funded by “trained people” but dismissed allegations of mass graves and seized bodies. President Hassan welcomed the report, repeating claims of foreign involvement and accusing international media of spreading misinformation. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, Chadema, slammed the findings as a government “cover-up,” saying it was designed to whitewash the regime’s brutal suppression of unarmed, youth-led protests. For victims and their families, activists argue that the report offers no path to genuine justice. By failing to deliver credible accountability, the report deepens Tanzania’s severe political fractures, undermining its reputation for stability.
DW
