Catholic Church in Tanzania condemns election day killings
By Nancy Marende, November 10, 2025The Catholic Church in Tanzania has condemned the violence and loss of life that followed the country’s general elections, saying the unrest has tarnished the nation’s image and undermined peace.
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Speaking during a holy mass held at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Dar es Salaam to pray for those who lost their lives during the election period on November 10, 2025, Archbishop Yuda Thadei Ruwaichi, who also chairs the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), decried what he termed as senseless killings of citizens exercising their democratic rights.
“Wako watu waliouawa wakiandamana, lakini adhabu ya kuandamana sio kifo cha risasi. Wako watu waliouawa wakiwa majumbani, wamefuatwa wakauawa wakiwa nyumbani kwao,” Ruwaichi said.
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The Archbishop lamented that the killings had eroded Tanzania’s long-standing reputation as a peaceful nation.
“Hakuna amani bila haki. Hilo mliweke sawa vichwani mwenu. Taifa letu limepoteza heshima kutokana na yale yaliyojiri wakati wa uchaguzi mkuu,” he added.
This comes days after a Tanzanian court charged at least 240 people with treason following last week’s deadly election protests.
The elections
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the election with 98% of the vote, but the opposition, which was barred from contesting, denounced the poll as a sham.
Security forces clashed with those protesting against the vote and, according to various sources, hundreds were killed. The authorities have downplayed the scale of the violence and maintained the election was free and fair.
Many people were arrested and have now been charged with treason at a court in the economic capital of Dar es Salaam. They were not asked to enter a plea in court.
According to a charge sheet seen by the BBC, the defendants are accused of inciting demonstrations with the intention of obstructing the election.
The defendants could receive the death penalty if found guilty. However, in Tanzania, the majority of those sentenced to death eventually have their sentence commuted to life in jail.
Among those charged on Friday, November 7, 2025, was prominent Tanzanian businesswoman Jenifer Jovin.
She has been accused of encouraging protesters to buy gas masks in order to protect themselves from the police’s tear gas.