Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
UN Chief Urges ‘Meaningful Dialogue’ in Tanzania’s Talks on Post-Election Crisis
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a “meaningful and inclusive national dialogue” in Tanzania to address the root causes of the violent clashes that followed the country’s disputed general election on October 29, 2025.
The statement came during a meeting on December 14, 2025, where Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mahmoud Kombo, delivered a special message from President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
According to a press release from the Tanzanian government, Mr Guterres acknowledged that the nation’s long-standing reputation as an “icon of peace was tested” during the recent election.
He emphasised the UN’s interest in seeing Tanzania remain united and reaffirmed the organisation’s support for the government’s Commission of Inquiry into the events.
The meeting occurs against a backdrop of mounting international pressure on President Samia’s government. The United States has initiated a “comprehensive review” of its bilateral relationship with the East African nation, citing a violent crackdown on civilians and the repression of fundamental freedoms.
The European Parliament has also condemned the post-election killings and deteriorating human rights situation.
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High Court of Tanzania Dismisses Defamation Suit Against Zitto Kabwe in IPTL Saga
The High Court of Tanzania on Thursday dismissed a Sh15 billion (approximately US$6 million) defamation lawsuit filed by businessman Harbinder Singh Sethi against prominent opposition figure Zitto Kabwe, in a significant victory for freedom of expression in the country.
The case stemmed from comments Mr Kabwe made on social media regarding the long-running Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) scandal.
In a detailed judgment delivered on December 11, 2025, Honourable Judge Arnold Kirekiano ruled that the petitioner, Mr Sethi, had failed to prove that Mr Kabwe’s statements were false or malicious. The court found that Mr Kabwe’s comments constituted “fair comment on a matter of public interest” and were therefore protected speech.
“The petitioner has not established in the required standard that the publication was false and malicious,” Judge Kirekiano stated in his ruling. “Having found that there was no malice and the publication was not false… the petition is dismissed with costs.”
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Arusha to Host Sh33 Billion National Gemstone Training Centre
Work has commenced on a new national training centre for gemstone value addition in Arusha, a landmark project aimed at shifting the country’s focus from exporting raw minerals to processing them locally.
The Sh33 billion development is a direct implementation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directive to strengthen the mineral value chain, a press release by the Ministry of Minerals stated Sunday.
During an inspection of the construction site at the Tanzania Gemological Centre (TGC) on December 12, 2025, the Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, stressed the project’s importance to the nation’s economy.
He instructed the contractor to accelerate the building process by increasing manpower and introducing extended work shifts to ensure timely completion.
“The Sixth Phase Government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan is deliberately investing along the entire gemstone value chain, in line with the 2009 Mineral Policy, so that cutting, polishing and grading increasingly take place in Tanzania,” Mavunde stated.
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