The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) has issued a statement today, July 4, 2026, warning against any disruption of peace amid calls by activists on social media for demonstrations on July 7, dubbed the Saba Saba (Seven-Seven) demonstrations.
In a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Sylvester Mangure, the army said the country remains peaceful and secure while urging citizens to ignore calls that could lead to unrest.
“Despite the prevailing peace and tranquility, there has been incitement and misinformation carried out by ill-wishers of our country, aimed at inciting citizens to take part in acts of chaos and disruption of the country’s peace and stability,” the army statement reads.
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The statement comes as several government officials, led by Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba, have also spoken out against the planned demonstrations. The protests, which have primarily been promoted on social media as well as through printed posters distributed in regions including Mwanza and Mbeya, are centered on demands for accountability over post-election killings.
“These people are carrying out agitation and misinformation by defaming the army, claiming it will protect those who cause chaos and such violence,” the Army distance itself from the protest. “Such acts could cause harm to participants and other citizens, property damage, disruption of citizens’ daily activities, and ultimately damage the country’s economy.”
The military’s statement comes amid heightened security in most major Tanzanian cities, particularly Dar es Salaam, where security personnel have been deployed at key intersections. The army also urged citizens to report any signs of planned violence to village and street leaders or security officials.
READ: Tanzania Army Warns Against Push on Social Media to Involve It in Political Affairs
“TPDF will not hesitate to take appropriate action against those who take part in acts of violence and disruption of peace, in accordance with Article 147(2) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977, among other provisions that assign the army the duty of protecting the country and its citizens,” the statement from TPDF reads.
While online discussions among those advocating for the protests have largely focused on unresolved grievances, including the lack of accountability for the 2025 killings and the continued incidents of abductions in the country, the government has presented a different narrative. Prime Minister Nchemba has linked the planned demonstrations to what he describes as a foreign conspiracy aimed at gaining access to Tanzania’s resources.
“Tanzania is the leading country in Africa in terms of rare critical minerals, and is the ninth country in the world in terms of the abundance of these minerals. Not everyone likes this, others desire to take them for free, as has been done in other countries,” Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said during a public rally in Singida on June 27, 2026.
“We know this, and it’s no secret: there are countries that were set to fight internally against each other, and once the minerals had been extracted, the conflict would then be brought to an end, but some fight to date,” he explained.
At several rallies, Nchemba has also claimed that authorities have arrested young people who were allegedly being paid between Tsh3,000,000 and Tsh5,000,000 per month to recruit other youths who, he said, “will go to get killed.”
READ: Army Issues Second Statement in 11 Days, Warns Against Social Media Misinformation
“We arrested some of them while they were hiding in a certain place. One of them admitted that, to mobilize young people to go and die, he was being paid five million Tanzanian shillings every month,” Mwigulu told rally-goers during a public meeting in Serengeti on July 1, 2026.
“One of those arrested said he had been receiving three million Tanzanian shillings every month and had been promised one hundred million shillings if he succeeded in sending young people to their deaths,” he said.
It remains unclear who was arrested, whether any of those individuals have been formally charged or taken to court, or who made the payments cited by the Prime Minister. However, Nchemba has repeated the same claims at each of his public rallies since June 27, 2026, when he began his nationwide campaign after the conclusion of the budget parliamentary session.
