DODOMA, Tanzania — In a resolute address to the nation, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has blamed foreign actors for the violence witnessed during the recent election, accusing external forces of orchestrating a plot to dismantle Tanzania’s long-standing peace and topple the government.
The Head of State issued a stern rebuke to the international community and domestic agitators, asserting that outsiders “have been irritated by Tanzania’s stability” and accusing them of coming “to destroy this country after destroying their own.”
President Samia dismissed the narrative that the events were organic protests, describing the unrest instead as “orchestrated violence with specific objectives” and part of “a wide-ranging project” intended to overthrow her administration.
She pointed to video evidence circulated online, noting that the youths involved appeared to be coached.
“Parroting and singing exactly what happened in Madagascar, to make it happen here,” she said.
Defending the response of the security services, the President insisted that the force applied was “proportionate to the situation.” She criticized those who condemned the police response, arguing that critics unreasonably expected the government to “watch protesters who were ready to carry out a coup until they succeeded.”
The opposition and election timing
President Samia questioned the specific timing of the violence, asking, “Why on the day of the election?” and “Why during the election? What right is being demanded at that time?”
She addressed the opposition’s role, stating that they were not barred from the polls but chose to withdraw to avoid potential embarrassment. She claimed this boycott contributed to the “excuses” that fueled the chaos.
Reflecting on her tenure, she recalled her efforts between 2020 and 2023 to foster political reconciliation, noting that she had extended “a hand of mercy” to the opposition that was not properly reciprocated.
Economic sabotage and foreign interests
The President alleged that vulnerable Tanzanians were exploited due to financial constraints to participate in the riots.
“The coordinators are funded from abroad,” she claimed.
Addressing complaints from young people regarding the cost of living, President Samia offered a sharp rebuttal.
“If I could, I would send Tanzanian youths to different countries — even within Africa and in neighbouring states — to see what true hardship looks like, and then claim that Tanzania is a bad place,” she said.
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She further suggested that Tanzania’s natural resources were a motive for the interference. She noted that while the country was previously overlooked, foreign powers now covet its rare minerals.
“They are drooling over our wealth,” she stated.
A call for sovereignty and unity
President Samia condemned what she termed “foreign arrogance” in dictating Tanzania’s internal affairs.
“Think they are our masters, our colonizers,” she said, posing the defiant question, “Who are you?”
Despite the stern warnings, the President extended her condolences to the families who lost loved ones, emphasizing that “when one Tanzanian sheds blood, we all feel the pain.” She concluded with a plea for national unity.
“It should not become a curse that we fight and kill each other,” she urged. “Tanzania belongs to all of us, and we must protect it.”
