Dar es Salaam – A presidential commission in Tanzania investigating last year’s deadly post-election violence has been granted a 42-day extension to finalise its report, which was originally due on February 20, 2026.
A government notice announced the extension on February 20, 2026, pushing the deadline for the commission’s findings to April 3, 2026.
The reasons cited for the delay include the high volume of information and testimony received, the need for more time to conduct thorough investigations, and the necessity of using experts to analyse some of the evidence gathered.
The commission was established by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on November 14, 2025, to investigate the violence that erupted during and after the October 29, 2025, general election.
The protests began after the main opposition party, CHADEMA, was systematically barred from participating, and President Samia was declared the winner with over 97 per cent of the vote.
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The ensuing crackdown by security forces led to widespread condemnation from international bodies, including the United Nations, with reports of hundreds of deaths and arrests.
Mandate
The nine-member commission is chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohammed Chande Othman. Its mandate is to investigate the root causes of the violence, assess its impact, and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.
The commission has been gathering evidence through various means, including public hearings, interviews, and written submissions. However, its work has been criticised for a lack of transparency, particularly after it banned the media from attending witness testimonies in late January 2026, citing privacy concerns for witnesses.
The commission’s other members include retired Chief Justice Prof Ibrahim Hamis Juma, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue (the former Chief Secretary), Ambassador Radhia Msuya (a career diplomat), Lieutenant General Paul Ignace Mella (a former army intelligence chief), former Police Inspector General Said Ally Mwema, Ambassador David Kapya, and former Minister of Defence Dr Stegomena Lawrence Tax.
The inclusion of Dr Tax, who was still serving as Defence Minister during the post-election events, has been particularly controversial.
Contested investigation
The commission’s composition has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups. ACT Wazalendo, an opposition party, has dismissed the commission as a “mockery,” pointing out that some of its members were part of the government and security apparatus during the period under investigation.
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The party has refused to cooperate with the commission and has called for an independent, international inquiry involving the United Nations, African Union, and European Union.
President Samia defended the domestic commission during its launch on November 20, 2025, stating that she had “a lot of faith” in the commission’s expertise and experience.
She argued that a domestic investigation should precede international scrutiny, allowing the commission to do its work before external bodies arrived. However, the opposition’s scepticism has persisted, with concerns that the commission may be designed to shield government officials and security forces from accountability.
The 42-day extension reflects the complexity and scale of the commission’s task. With the new deadline of April 3, 2026, the commission must now complete its investigations and compile its findings within a compressed timeframe.
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Whether the extended deadline will prove sufficient, and whether the commission’s eventual report will satisfy demands for accountability and justice, remains uncertain.
What is clear is that the investigation has become a focal point for broader questions about governance, accountability, and the rule of law in Tanzania, with both domestic and international stakeholders watching closely to see what the commission ultimately concludes about the events of October 29, 2025, and their aftermath.
