Dar es Salaam – After 153 days of intense scrutiny, controversy, and nationwide evidence gathering, the presidential commission investigating Tanzania’s deadly post-election violence is set to present its final report to President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
The presentation of the report marks a critical juncture for a nation still reeling from the unprecedented violence that accompanied the October 29, 2025, general elections.
The nine-member commission, chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, has concluded its work after gathering evidence from 63,603 Tanzanians through various methods, including 1,323 in-person testimonies and 553 sworn affidavits.
The commission’s chairperson carries a heavy burden, as he is awaited either to confirm the doubts of his sceptics or to prove his doubters wrong by telling the truth as he gathered it on the ground.
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The findings are highly anticipated by both domestic citizens and international observers, who view this as a major test of the government’s commitment to accountability and genuine reconciliation efforts.
The crisis began when nationwide youth-led protests coincided with the October 29 elections, which the main opposition party, CHADEMA, had boycotted. Security forces responded with a heavy-handed crackdown, including the use of live ammunition, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.
In response to mounting domestic and international pressure, President Samia officially launched the commission on November 20, 2025. She tasked the panel with investigating the root causes of the violence, the demands of the youth protesters, the role of opposition parties and NGOs, and the methods used by security forces to quell the unrest.
“I thought that before we are presented with external commissions, we should have our own domestic commission, let it do the work,” President Samia stated during the launch, expressing great confidence in the team’s expertise.
However, the commission faced immediate legitimacy challenges. The two main opposition parties, CHADEMA and ACT-Wazalendo, flatly rejected the probe team, demanding an international inquiry instead. They argued that a government accused of electoral fraud and human rights abuses lacks the moral authority to investigate itself.
“The accused cannot be the judge in their own case,” stated John Heche, CHADEMA’s Vice Chairperson (Mainland), criticising the inclusion of former security and defence officials on the panel.
CHADEMA’s chief legal counsel, Rugemeleza Nshala, reiterated this stance on Tuesday, saying the commission is “null and void from the moment it was formed,” arguing that President Samia is the primary suspect for allegedly ordering the crackdown.
Civil society groups have also condemned the commission’s delays, noting that its original 90-day mandate was extended twice, ultimately reaching 153 days. The decision to bar media from witness sessions in January 2026 further fuelled concerns about transparency.
Despite the scepticism, Chande has consistently defended the commission’s work. He explained that the extensions were necessary due to the massive scale of the investigation, which expanded from six regions to 11 regions and 22 districts.
“We are guided only by evidence, and only the evidence will lead us to where we are going,” Chairperson Chande guaranteed, noting that the commission collected 4,891 anonymous questionnaires and received input from 56,445 people via phone and SMS to ensure broad participation.
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The report’s presentation comes amidst sustained international pressure. The country was recently placed on the Commonwealth monitoring mechanism, prompting a visit from Commonwealth Special Envoy Dr Lazarus Chakwera.
This was immediately followed by a high-level delegation from the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), demonstrating the global community’s intense focus on how the government handles the situation following October 29 and the subsequent steps towards national reconciliation.
