Rights groups, opposition parties and the United Nations believe hundreds of people were killed when security forces confronted demonstrators, though the government rejects those claims as exaggerated and denies targeting critics. Police spokesperson David Misime said the authorities had not received any formal notification from groups wishing to stage demonstrations on December 9, despite social media calls urging nationwide gatherings.
“The Police Force is banning these demonstrations, which are being described as ‘unlimited peaceful protests’, from taking place,” he said in a statement.
Misime added that organisers had been encouraging participants to seize property, disrupt hospital services and occupy streets indefinitely to paralyse economic activity. On Wednesday, a group of United Nations human rights experts urged Tanzanian authorities to safeguard the right to peaceful assembly and prevent further abuses ahead of the planned protests.
Hassan has pledged to investigate the election violence and has offered condolences to families of the victims, her clearest public acknowledgement of a crisis that has become the country’s most serious political confrontation in decades. “We hear there is another one planned, whenever they come, we are prepared,” she told a meeting of elders in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
The United States said on Thursday that it was reviewing its relationship with Tanzania due to concerns over religious freedom, restrictions on free speech, barriers to US investment and violence against civilians. Tanzania’s foreign ministry said it had noted with concern recent comments from the European Union delegation, the U.N. Human Rights Council and governments including the United States, Ghana, Belgium, Canada and Denmark.
“Tanzania remains committed to constructive international cooperation for peace and development and respectfully calls upon all stakeholders to allow national mechanisms to implement the steps and measures taken by the government,” the ministry said.