Dar es Salaam – The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) issued its second public statement in 11 days on Thursday, assuring Tanzanians that the country remains peaceful and secure while warning against social media posts attempting to drag the military into politics ahead of the October 29 general election.
The statement comes as tensions mount over planned protests scheduled for election day, with some groups calling for demonstrations to prevent the polls from taking place. TPDF complained about individuals it described as “activists” from within and outside the country using social media to mislead the public, “by posting inflammatory content involving the Army in politics to achieve their goal of disrupting peace.”
“The Army requests the Tanzanian public to ignore posts or information that have been appearing on social media,” said the TPDF statement, signed by Colonel Bernard Masala Ullunga, Acting Director of Information and Relations. “Citizens are reminded that all information concerning the Army will be issued by Army Headquarters through official military communication channels.”
This marks the second time in less than two weeks that TPDF has felt compelled to issue a public clarification, following an October 4 statement that responded to a viral video by someone identifying himself as a military officer calling for army intervention in government.
Mounting political tensions
The military’s renewed statement comes against a backdrop of mounting political tensions, with major opposition parties sidelined in the October 29 election. CHADEMA, the main opposition party, announced it would not participate, maintaining its No Reforms, No Election position that demands fundamental legal and constitutional changes before Tanzania can conduct free and fair elections.
This stance led to treason charges against CHADEMA chairperson Tundu Lissu in connection with the statement he made regarding the no-reform, no-election stance. Another opposition party, ACT Wazalendo, also hit obstacles this week when the High Court failed to hear a constitutional challenge filed by its former presidential candidate, Luhaga Mpina.
On October 15, the court agreed with preliminary objections challenging its jurisdiction to hear the case, effectively ending Mpina’s two-month legal battle to contest his removal from the ballot by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following objections from the Attorney General.
Against this political landscape, many Tanzanians have expressed frustrations online about current conditions, designating October 29 as a day to take to the streets to end what they describe as rampant corruption and government waste, abuse of power, deteriorating citizen security, and other grievances.
Social media platforms have been flooded with discussions about the planned protests, with platforms like TikTok and Clubhouse hosting live discussions about demonstration plans. These discussions have been so frequent and sustained that some users recently reported difficulty participating, raising fears that the government may also shut down TikTok.
READ MORE: Tanzania Army Warns Against Push on Social Media to Involve It in Political Affairs
Tanzania has already officially banned X (formerly Twitter), citing promotion of pornographic content, though users believe the move was prompted by heavy government criticism on the platform, which is popular for political discussions in Tanzania.
Need for peace
The prospect of the October 29 protests has prompted authorities to emerge and urge peace, with various officials reacting differently to the possibility.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Jumanne Murilo, for example, asked citizens on October 15 to maintain calm and participate fully in the election, saying “October 29 did not come by itself wanting to, it exists legally.”
Commander Murilo explained that the date resulted from official procedures established by relevant legal bodies and not an individual’s decision. He also asked citizens to avoid statements or actions that could endanger security, emphasising that security forces have prepared to deal with anyone who disrupts peace on election day.
Meanwhile, INEC’s Director of Elections, Ramadhan Kailima, warned citizens and political stakeholders on Wednesday that encouraging people not to vote is an offence under the 2024 Presidential, Parliamentary and Councillors Election Act.
READ MORE: Tanzania’s Catholic Church Denies Issuing Peace Statement Amid Pre-Election Heat
Speaking in an interview with UTV television, Kailima said Section 129 of the Act clearly states that anyone using force, threats, or any form of deception to persuade a voter to abstain from voting commits the offence of undue influence and may face legal action.
“Therefore, anyone now, or on behalf of anyone, who persuades voters not to go vote has committed an offence under this law, Section 129,” he emphasised. He said the Commission expects relevant authorities to take action against all those found making statements aimed at preventing people from participating in the general election expected on October 29, 2025.
Monitoring the situation
In Thursday’s statement, TPDF said it continues to closely monitor and assess the Defence and Security situation in the country during this period, leading to the General Election, asking political parties to maintain peace and calm throughout the campaign, voting, and post-voting periods.
TPDF also congratulated the Police Force and other Security Bodies for how they continue to manage the security situation during this period, leading to the General Election.
The military’s repeated public statements reflect the charged political atmosphere as Tanzania approaches an election that opposition parties have largely abandoned, leaving President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling CCM party facing limited competition while protesters plan to use election day itself as a platform for broader political grievances.
