Dar es Salaam – In a move triggering emotional scenes across the country, the Tanzanian Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) informed various courts on Monday, November 24, 2025, that the state would no longer pursue charges against scores of youths implicated in the unrest that followed the general election last month.
The decision has led to the immediate release of many young detainees from remand, allowing them to reunite with their families.
Reports from judicial centres nationwide indicated that the DPP filed notices of nolle prosequi in numerous cases, effectively halting the prosecutions. Video and photographic evidence from court precincts showed families reacting with overwhelming emotion, with many heard weeping aloud and giving thanks.
In the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam, 47 out of 48 youths facing treason charges for the October 29 disturbances were set free. However, one individual, Naslin Lawrence Mkangala, alias Luponzi, remains in custody until December 8 for mention due to ongoing investigations into the accusations against him.
Similar mass withdrawals of charges were reported in other major cities. In Mwanza, 63 suspects linked to the Nyamagana district unrest were released, followed by another 76 in the Ilemela District, after the prosecution notified the court of its intention not to proceed.
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In Arusha, the Resident Magistrate’s Court freed 24 suspects who had been held on treason charges since October 29. Resident Magistrate Erasto Philly ordered them to be of good behaviour for one year, sign a bond of Sh1 million, and report to police stations monthly as part of their release conditions.
The prosecution, through a State Attorney, submitted the DPP’s request to drop charges against 24 of the 191 suspects facing various accusations in Arusha.
Presidential directive
The decisions stem from a directive issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on November 14, 2025. Addressing the 13th Parliament in Dodoma, the President instructed the DPP to review the cases of those arrested for the October 29 incidents, suggesting many of the youths had merely “followed the crowd” and could be discharged.
“I recognise there are many youths who have been arrested and charged with offences like treason,” the Head of State said. “Some did not know what they were doing; others merely followed the crowd. As a mother, I am directing the legal organs to re-examine the offences committed by our youths.”
The President specifically asked the DPP’s office to “filter the levels of offence” and “for those only driven by the crowd—let them be released to go to their parents.”
READ MORE: Post-Election Crackdown Deepens in Tanzania with More Arrests as Treason Charges Mount
The released individuals are part of an estimated 900 young people nationwide who were facing a range of charges, including treason, conspiracy, malicious damage, arson, armed robbery, and rioting, by November 20, 2025.
The mass release has been welcomed by families and stakeholders, though it has sparked debate among legal experts.
Legal, practical questions
William Maduhu, Human Rights Monitoring and Response Manager for the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC)—which has been providing legal aid to the youths—warned that while the President’s intentions were good, the vague criteria of “following the crowd” could lead to legal and implementation challenges, including the potential for corruption.
Maduhu, a lawyer, stressed in a November 20 interview with The Chanzo the need for the process to be free from bias and corruption, suggesting the government should have opted to release all individuals charged, regardless of their level of involvement, or at least substitute serious charges like treason with bailable, less serious offences.
He also raised a constitutional point, stating that the President’s power to pardon only extends to convicted prisoners, not those on remand who are “presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
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Despite these legal concerns, Maduhu ultimately argued that the priority should be the youths’ freedom.
“We have over 900 youths in prisons nationwide… Is it more important for the youths to be released to join their families, or should we continue to argue based on legal and constitutional principles?” asked Maduhu.
“Personally, my advice as a lawyer and criminal justice stakeholder is that, given the current situation, it is paramount for these youths to be out, regardless of how they gain their freedom.”
