Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on November 25, 2025
Tanzania Dismisses ‘Protest’ Label for Oct. 29 Unrest as PM Brands Violence ‘Economic Sabotage’; Challenges Death Toll Figures
The Tanzanian government has firmly rejected international and domestic interpretations that the widespread civil unrest and violence following the October 29 election were political demonstrations, with the Prime Minister labelling the events as a calculated and coordinated act of “economic sabotage.”
Addressing editors from the country’s major newsrooms in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba, who is also the Iramba West MP for the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), argued that the sheer scale of the destruction, coupled with alleged foreign and armed involvement, pointed to a deliberate security and economic threat.
The Premier claimed the aim was “totally an economic sabotage,” which was evident in the massive and indiscriminate targeting of infrastructure.
The official preliminary tally of damage presented by the government detailed a staggering catalogue of destruction: 756 government service offices were burned, 159 police stations targeted, and 976 government vehicles, including essential ambulances and health vehicles, were destroyed.
The private sector was hit equally hard, with 672 private fuel stations, 273 private homes, 1,642 private vehicles, and 2,268 private motorcycles destroyed, alongside the complete destruction of 27 Rapid Bus Transit (RBT) stations and six RBT buses.
The Prime Minister insisted this level of destruction, designed to hurt service delivery, was “purely an economic sabotage” designed to destabilise the nation.
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DPP Withdraws Treason Cases Against Another 220 Linked to Election Unrest
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has withdrawn treason-related charges against 220 youths who were arrested following unrest linked to the October 29 general election.
In Dar es Salaam, 20 out of 22 suspects accused of taking part in protest-related disturbances in Ubungo District were freed after the DPP filed a nolle prosequi, a formal notice indicating that the state no longer intends to pursue prosecution, under Criminal Procedure Act. Despite the withdrawal of charges against most of the group, the DPP confirmed that prosecution will continue against Jennifer Bilikwija Jovin ‘Niffer’ and another suspect, Mika Chavala.
Two additional groups brought before the same court in Dar es Salaam, comprising a total of 216 suspects, also saw the majority of their charges dropped. Out of this number, 198 were released, while 18 were returned to remand pending their next appearance.
A similar development occurred in Arusha, where four individuals initially charged alongside 59 others in a separate treason case were released. The freed suspects include Ayo TV journalist Godfrey Ng’omba and three boys aged 13, 16 and 17. Defence lawyers led by Khamisi Mkindi, the Arusha chairperson of the Tanganyika Law Society, welcomed the decision after prosecutors informed the court that the state no longer intended to pursue the case.
In Mbeya, six more suspects, including cadres of the opposition party CHADEMA, were discharged after the Resident Magistrate’s Court struck out Investigation Case No. PI 26722/2025. The ruling followed submissions by State Attorney Dominick Mushi, who appeared for the DPP and confirmed the state’s withdrawal of interest in continuing the matter.
Luanda Summit Sets New Priorities for Africa–EU Cooperation
The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) have renewed their commitment to a deeper political and economic partnership during the 7th AU–EU Summit held in Luanda, Angola, on 24 to 25 November 2025.
The high-level gathering marked 25 years since the first summit in Cairo and brought together Heads of State and Government from both continents to review progress and set new priorities for cooperation.
Tanzania’s Vice President, Dr. John Nchimbi, representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan, was among the African leaders who attended the two-day meeting. He was accompanied by Zanzibar’s Minister of Labour and Investment, Sharif Sharif, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Ngwaru Maghembe, and other senior foreign service officials.
During the summit, leaders celebrated what they described as a “unique and strategic partnership” that has strengthened over the years, supporting Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
A key highlight for African countries, including Tanzania, was the renewed focus on boosting industrialisation, expanding regional trade, and accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The EU pledged continued investment through its Global Gateway initiative, including support for major infrastructure corridors such as the Lobito Corridor, as well as investments in renewable energy to help millions of Africans gain access to clean electricity.
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