Dodoma – A parliamentary session on Tuesday was marked by a sharp disagreement over the status of young people detained in the wake of last year’s general election, with a ruling party MP’s assertion that all detainees had been released being immediately challenged by fellow lawmakers.
The controversy began when Ezra Chiwelesa, a Member of Parliament for Biharamulo West from the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, praised President Samia Suluhu Hassan for fulfilling her promise to release all youths arrested on treason charges following the election.
“All [here in parliament] are witnesses that those youths are out today,” Mr Chiwelesa declared during a debate on the president’s inaugural address to the 13th Parliament.
However, his statement was swiftly interrupted by another MP who stated that the information was incorrect and that “many youths” were still in prison. When asked by Deputy Speaker Daniel Sillo if he would accept the correction, Mr Chiwelesa refused.
The exchange prompted Ado Shaibu, an MP from the opposition ACT-Wazalendo party, to seek the Deputy Speaker’s guidance, arguing that it was crucial for the parliamentary record, the Hansard, to reflect the accurate situation.
READ MORE: Families Plead for Mercy as Nine Youths Remain in Custody on Treason Charges
Despite the objection, the Deputy Speaker ruled that Mr Chiwelesa’s contribution was correct as stated.
In a speech on November 14, 2025, President Samia had directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to review the cases of the detained youths, suggesting many had been swept up in the turmoil without criminal intent.
Also, in aspeech to diplomats on January 15, 2026, President Samia confirmed she had “pardoned 1,787 convicts” associated with the unrest, stating her administration was resolved to “repair, rebuild, and renew our nation.”
Contrary to Mr Chiwelesa’s claim, however, reports confirm that not all detainees have been freed. As we reported on January 27, at least nine young men remain in custody at Segerea prison in Dar es Salaam on treason charges.
Their families have made public pleas to President Samia for their release, expressing their anguish and financial hardship.
“We beg Mama Samia to release our children,” said Sheila Mohamed Kapuna, the mother of one of the detainees, Moh’d Steven Madeha, as quoted in our reporting. The case against the nine youths has been repeatedly postponed, with the next hearing scheduled for February 9, 2026.
READ MORE:The Faces of ‘Treason’: Here Are the 466 Tanzanians Charged in Post-Election Crackdown
The October 29, 2025, general election coincided with widespread unrest and a crackdown that saw hundreds of people arrested.
While President Samia’s administration has taken steps towards reconciliation, including the release of many detainees, the continued incarceration of the nine youths continues to cast a shadow over these efforts.
