Dar es Salaam. The Government of Tanzania has moved to defend its response to post-election unrest, insisting it remains committed to accountability and constructive engagement following weeks of international criticism over violence linked to the October 29, 2025 general election.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation said the government has ‘taken note’ of concerns raised by foreign governments and development partners regarding the reported abuses.
According to the ministry, a Commission of Inquiry has been formed to investigate the ‘post-election violence’. The government said the commission’s findings will help provide clarity on the unrest and guide future engagement with stakeholders.
The statement added that Tanzania remains committed to peace, stability and cooperation with its partners, urging stakeholders to allow national institutions to complete investigations and implement corrective measures.
The government’s response came hours after a coalition of 16 Western diplomatic missions, including the British and Canadian High Commissions and the European Union Delegation, issued a joint statement on December 5 expressing alarm over reported human rights violations linked to the election.
The diplomats cited “credible reports of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and concealment of dead bodies,” calling for urgent and transparent investigations, the release of detained protesters, and respect for civil liberties.
Their concerns followed similar appeals earlier in the week from Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Ghana, the United States, the UN Human Rights Council and others, who sought clarification on the scale of the violence and the government’s accountability measures.
“Tanzania remains committed to constructive international cooperation for peace and development,” the ministry said, urging all stakeholders to allow national mechanisms to implement the measures underway.
