MWE Correspondent
Tanzania’s opposition party CHADEMA (Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) has publicly rejected the commission formed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to investigate the post-election violence following the October 29, 2025 poll.
In a statement signed by Vice-Chairperson John Heche, the party described the inquiry as lacking legitimacy on political, legal, and institutional grounds.
According to CHADEMA, the commission was established by a president whose re-election they dispute, making it inherently flawed. The party argues that the October vote lacked transparency and fairness, and therefore President Samia does not have the democratic mandate to launch such an inquiry.
CHADEMA specifically criticized the commission’s leadership under retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, claiming that because the body reports to the President, it cannot operate independently. They warn that such a structure risks bias and undermines impartiality.
Additionally, the party expressed concern about Tanzania’s Commissions of Inquiry Act, which legally allows the President to accept, reject, or even suppress the commission’s final report. CHADEMA argues this provision threatens transparency and undermines public trust in the investigation.
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The party also accused the government of attempting a cover-up. CHADEMA claims the inquiry is designed “to erase evidence, rewrite the truth, and turn perpetrators into victims.” They allege that severe human rights violations — including killings, torture, looting, abductions, and other abuses — were committed by state security forces during and after the election.
As a response, CHADEMA is calling for a truly independent international investigation, free from presidential control. They have urged global bodies — including the United Nations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and regional human rights organizations — to take swift action. They insist only an inquiry with full autonomy and international credibility can deliver justice and accountability.
This dramatic rejection underscores the deepening political rift in Tanzania. CHADEMA, the country’s second-largest political party, claims it cannot trust a process under the same authority it has consistently accused of abusing power.
