Tanzanian women across the country joined millions worldwide in commemorating International Women’s Day. The theme in Tanzania this year was; Rights and Equality for Women and Girls: The Foundation for an Inclusive Future Towards Vision 2050.
While women in most regions were able to celebrate freely, members of the main opposition party, CHADEMA, faced significant challenges. Police blocked them from using their planned venues and arrested several women between March 6 and March 8, the day of the commemoration.
In Geita, where the official national celebration was held, the Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups launched a USD 100 million World Bank project to advance gender equality in Tanzania.
Dubbed the Project for Advancing Gender Equality in Tanzania (PAMOJA), it aims to increase women’s access to economic opportunities through community-based groups while strengthening GBV prevention and response services.
Across the country, regional commissioners organized celebrations featuring women in their colorful, matching vitenges. Political parties also held their own events. The ruling party organized visits to areas in need starting March 5. Opposition party CHAUMMA held an event at Ubungo Plaza, with many women appearing in matching vitenges. Meanwhile, opposition party ACT Wazalendo used their celebrations to remember citizens killed during election crackdowns on October and November 2025.
For many women, the mood was celebratory, but this was not the case for CHADEMA members. The party had planned to hold commemorations in Musoma, but from March 6 onward, police across the country stopped CHADEMA women en route.
READ: Tanzania Police Force Bans CHADEMA Women’s Day Commemoration in Musoma
Several convoys of women were intercepted in different regions, forcing some to spend the entire day at police stations and, in some cases, to commemorate from the stations themselves. On March 6, 2026, a convoy from Kinondoni was stopped at Visiga in Pwani region. Pwani police stated the convoy was halted due to prior information suggesting that they were planning to conduct criminal activities.
Other women from Dar es Salaam were stopped at Dakawa and Gairo in Morogoro, while a group of 51 women from Kagera was stopped at Geita around 2 a.m on March 07, 2026, forcing them to end up celebrating at the station.
Police barred CHADEMA women from holding their International Women’s Day celebrations, citing a court injunction against the party’s political activities. The party maintained that, unless renewed, the injunction had expired on December 10, 2025, as Tanzanian law requires injunctions to be renewed six months after activation.
Several women managed to reach Musoma, but were prevented from using the venue they had secured. This prompted the party secretary to engage women in open space.
“I want to sincerely congratulate those of you who were able to come here. Our hall where we are going to hold an event is back here,” Pamela Massay, Secretary of the CHADEMA women wing, told attendees.
“Those of you who managed to go there, you might have noticed the venue is surrounded by the Police. Because there are instructions that we are not allowed to celebrate International Women’s Day,” she continued.
The situation escalated when police used tear gas to disperse women marching along the Musoma-Bunda road, citing that the crowd was causing a disturbance.
“The Mara Regional Police is holding 27 suspects on charges of engaging in violent acts contrary to the law. You will recall that on March 1, 2026, I personally spoke to the media and issued a statement barring the CHADEMA Women’s Council from organizing the celebration of International Women’s Day in Mara Region, Musoma District,” said Pius Lutumo, Mara Regional Police Commander.
“The statement was legal and took into account the legal requirements and the potential consequences that could arise if they carried out those celebrations in Mara,” he continued.
“This was due to their preparations, which were accompanied by provocative words, claiming that they were not afraid of the police and were ready to die,” he added.
Police reported that the women had blocked the Musoma-Bunda road, causing disruption and prompting intervention. Among those arrested was Pamela Massay, who was later released on bail along with other women.
Several of the women convoys were escorted by the Police returning to their areas of depature. This is not the first time for the police to bar CHADEMA from holding commemoration events. In 2024, Police barred CHADEMA youth from holding Youth Day event, citing that they had intelligence of disruption of peace.
The cnacellation of the commemoration event was accompanied by heavy crackdown on party leaders which saw, leaders including Party Secretary John Mnyika, and Joseph Mbilinyi being hospitalized.
President Samia Suluhu wrote a conglatulation message to all women in the country. She argued the day provide a unique opportunity to recognize, take pride in, and celebrate the achievements in education, health, the economy, and leadership.
“This day also reminds us of our fundamental responsibility to our founders and to the current and future generations: to continue planning and implementing programs that empower women, as this is an essential part of the work of uplifting families, communities, and the nation as a whole,” President Samia wrote.
