JF Summary
Senior Member
- Jul 3, 2015
- 163
- 108
Samia: The October 29 Violence Intended to Topple the State. When told we used excessive force, what is 'minimal force'? They give us directives, but who exactly are they?
President Samia addressed the nation through a special meeting with the 'Elders of Dar es Salaam Region,' held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam. She touched on various events during the election and responded to arguments raised by multiple institutions, both within and outside the country.
In her speech, President Samia addressed the violence that emerged during and after the election, stating that these were not ordinary demonstrations but violence engineered with the goal of toppling the state. She claimed that people with ill intent, both within and outside the country, have been doing everything possible to ruin Tanzania's image for their own personal gain. She added that her Government has begun implementing the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Commission, with 90% of short- and medium-term reforms completed, while the issue of the New Constitution is planned to be implemented procedurally.
Regarding state security organs using excessive force during the protests, she said the Government used force according to the circumstances of the event, questioning those who criticize the excessive force used: "What is 'minimal force' for people who were attempting a coup?"
She also stated that the youth of Tanzania are not patriotic and lack patriotic education, which is why her Government has decided to create a Ministry of Youth to address their problems, saying they had no reason to participate in causing destruction.
Samia told parents that instead of crying that their children were injured or died by "bad luck," why didn't they stop them from going out to cause violence? She urged parents not to accept seeing their children used as "political sacrifices". She insisted they be part of peacekeeping and fulfill their duty to raise and supervise youth, rather than complain after harm has occurred.
Furthermore, she criticized certain religious institutions for issuing statements that disrupt unity, emphasizing that the Government is not run on sectarian lines nor by being ordered to follow certain directives. She said no single religion can run the Government, and if they issue a statement, it must be followed. Targeting the Catholic Church, she said that since she entered office, the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) has issued eight (8) statements. She urged Tanzanians not to be disturbed by their political or religious affiliations or others, and not to be removed from their foundations of peace, unity, solidarity, and tranquility.
The President also said the coordinators of the violence living abroad are people facing life hardships and thus use social media to spread panic to earn an income. She added that democracy does not mean violence and that if they do not like the leader in power, they should endure it; when her time is up, she will leave, and they will get another leader!
Speaking about the leaders of some opposition parties, Samia said they have been sowing the seeds of sedition despite being helped to return to the country peacefully, having their cases dropped, and being given the freedom to engage in politics. She said internal party conflicts, factions, and a lack of unity caused these opposition leaders to fail to see ahead, leading them to resort to inciting the citizens.
Regarding the protests expected on December 9, she said the Government has received this information and has heard from organizers residing abroad, who advised them to move the protests to the Christmas celebrations on December 25 because the Government is currently prepared. Samia informed them that it is not just Christmas Day; whenever they decide to demonstrate, the Government is fully prepared to confront them.
Responding to the youth who issued conditions for reconciliation to take place, while being supported by some politicians and activists, the President said that (giving the Government conditions) happens inside a house between a husband and wife when they quarrel or in a student government, but not for a sovereign Government that understands itself and runs its own affairs. She questioned who precisely those claiming to represent Tanzanians are representing, as citizens had already decided, by electing CCM with 97.66%, to continue holding power, and that was possible because their main opponents did not participate in the election.
Concluding her speech, she strongly criticized the international community and foreign nations for what she called interfering in Tanzania's internal matters, asking: "They give instructions for things to be done a certain way, but who are they exactly? Do they think they are the masters of Tanzania?" She emphasized that they conduct business to benefit both sides, and that, even so, the funds they provide are few and currently nonexistent!
Citizen Opinions:
Many have expressed anger at the speech, saying it is full of contempt and arrogance rather than the speech they expected would aim to heal the nation and start anew with people free of wounds. They say that, through this speech, President Samia has clearly shown she does not regret the harm suffered by citizens and has no plan to take accountability for the killings that occurred. They claim it indicates human rights violations, including abductions, will continue and increase because the President has given her blessing.
Others have said there is no need to search further for evidence of who gave the order for citizens to be killed by state organs, as the President has clearly shown it was by her directives.
Also, some see this situation as a catalyst for further deterioration in diplomatic relations, saying others will follow the EU's lead, causing the economy to waver and plunging citizens further into poverty. However, some said perhaps the Government has already planned to shift donor direction to Asian nations, Russia, and the Arab world, and thus does not care much if Western nations close their doors to Tanzania.
On the side of hate speech inciting religious division, some have said it is obvious the President directed Muslim leaders to bring up religious arguments to citizens, so they stop discussing the protests and accountability for all those who caused the killings during the election. This follows her attacks on the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), which advised as they saw fit, while she completely failed to condemn the statements by Sheikhs that contained religious hatred.
Furthermore, some have taken the speech as fuel to participate in protests and to ensure that all those who should be held accountable, including the President, are held responsible, and that a rule-of-law, justice-based administration is restored.
Islamic Lecturers Attack Father Kitima, Ask the Government to Launch an Investigation Against His Statements
Islamic lecturers have asked the Government to take legal action against the Secretary General of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), Father Charles Kitima, claiming that his recent statements have caused panic in society.
Speaking to the Media, they said Kitima's statements regarding the events of October 29 have raised questions and indicate a trend toward incitement, threatening Kitima by saying they have much to say about Christians but have remained silent, "Kitima, you cannot handle this music of the Muslims! Blood will spill, we have much, but we have kept silent about Christians."
They also said some of the arguments raised by Kitima, including claims that the Police ordered the injured not to be treated but to be put in the mortuary, should have been taken to the Commission of Inquiry into the Events of October 29 or presented before the Prime Minister, whom Father Kitima met a few days before making those statements.
Additionally, they accused them (Catholics) of bringing religious bias into the country, saying they want high Government positions for themselves alone. They cited the recently appointed Cabinet as an example, claiming Catholics appear to be the majority, saying this is how they want it to be.
These scholars also accused the Catholic Church of being involved in what they called 'the breach of peace during and after the general election of October 29', insisting that they will not participate in other protests expected to take place on December 9. They issued a warning to those who will join, that they will face severe consequences ("cha moto watakiona"), while denying a statement allegedly made by one of the Sheikhs regarding 'beheading protesters', saying it did not mean rebellion.
Citizen Opinions:
Many citizens have said that the statement seems to force religious hatred. In contrast, the real source of the protests is abductions, killings, cases of oppression, and election theft—matters which they have not discussed at all—and insist that they are deliberately misleading to reduce the strength of the citizens' fundamental demands.
Others have said these religious leaders were ordered to hold this meeting to reduce the impact of President Samia's speech, in which they say she showed neither an ounce of regret for what happened nor readiness for accountability, which has increased anger among citizens.
