Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared that the violent unrest following the October 29 general election was not a series of spontaneous protests, but a deliberate and orchestrated plot to topple her administration. Addressing elders in Dar es Salaam, she asserted that state intelligence pointed to a coordinated scheme involving planners, financiers, and actors on the ground.

The declaration casts a new, more severe light on the political crisis gripping Kenya's southern neighbour. The violence, which erupted after President Suluhu was declared the winner with a contentious 97.66% of the vote, has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies over the use of lethal force by security agencies. The aftermath has left a trail of destruction, arrests, and a death toll that human rights groups claim is in the hundreds, if not thousands.

Defending the Crackdown

President Suluhu has staunchly defended her government's response to the protests, questioning what a "lesser force" would have been against a plot to overthrow the state. "Should we have just stood by and watched protesters overthrow our government instead of taking action?" she queried, dismissing criticism from neighbouring countries as hypocritical. She alleged that foreign interests, irritated by Tanzania's stability, helped fuel the unrest.

The election itself was marred by controversy even before polling day. Major opposition parties, including Chadema and the Alliance for Change and Transparency, were barred from participating, a move that foreign observers noted broke with Tanzania's recent history of multiparty elections. Several opposition leaders were arrested in the lead-up to the vote, actions that human rights organizations condemned as politically motivated.

International Pressure Mounts

The global reaction to the violence and the election's conduct has been severe, placing significant pressure on the Tanzanian government and potentially impacting its economy.

• **United Nations:** The UN human rights office reported hundreds killed and detained, with harrowing accounts of families searching for missing loved ones and security forces allegedly concealing bodies.
• **European Union:** The EU Parliament passed a resolution calling for the suspension of direct support to Tanzanian authorities and is considering sanctions against those responsible for the violence. One proposal could freeze €156 million (approx. KES 21.8 billion) in aid.
• **Human Rights Watch:** The organization documented the use of lethal force, including live ammunition, against protesters and noted that the government's repressive response further undermined the election's credibility.
• **African Union & SADC:** Election observers from both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union flagged irregularities, with the AU mission calling for urgent constitutional reforms.

From a Kenyan perspective, the instability in a key East African Community partner is cause for significant concern. The unrest disrupts trade corridors, impacts investor confidence across the region, and raises questions about democratic stability. President Suluhu's pointed remarks about unnamed "neighbours" who have also used force against protesters have not gone unnoticed in Nairobi.

While President Suluhu's government maintains the election was transparent and peaceful, the opposition rejects the results as fabricated. With fresh protests called for and international bodies demanding impartial investigations, the path forward for Tanzania remains fraught with tension. The President's framing of the crisis as an attempted coup signals a hardening stance, suggesting the political standoff is far from over.