Tanzania’s commission of inquiry into violence linked to the October 2025 general election has revealed the scale of its investigation, which included face-to-face engagements with more than 6,000 people across the country.
Speaking to editors and journalists in Dar es Salaam, Mohamed Othman Chande said the commission gathered 953 sworn statements from members of the public and an additional 26 statements from police officers.
“We had not expected to receive evidence from the police. The bulk of the evidence came from victims and others affected by the violence,” Chande noted.
He added that the commission conducted direct, face-to-face interviews with 6,205 individuals during its 153-day investigation period, describing the scale of engagement as uncommon by global standards.
“On average, we interviewed and heard from about 40 witnesses per day,” Chande explained.
The commission was established to investigate violence that erupted during and after Tanzania’s October 29, 2025 general election, a period that intensified national debate around political freedoms, accountability, and public security.
According to Chande, the inquiry relied heavily on testimonies from victims and affected communities to understand the root causes of the violence, identify those responsible, and evaluate the broader social, human, and economic impacts.
The findings and recommendations of the commission have attracted widespread public attention since the report was submitted to Samia Suluhu Hassan, highlighting the significance of the investigation in shaping ongoing national discourse on governance and electoral integrity.
