Suluhu Hits Out at Tanzania's Neighbours Questioning Deployment of Police Against Election Protesters

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu has criticised those who have accused her administration of using excessive force against protesters during the country's recent general election.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, December 2, Suluhu defended the deployment of security officers following the chaos that erupted in the country after the elections, insisting that it was aimed at stopping an attempted coup.

She alleged that those blaming her forusing excessive force against protesterswere mostly from a neighbouring country, which she did not name.

She said that these neighbours were criticising her for deploying security personnel against protests despite having experienced a similar situation in their own country a few months ago.

"I heard people saying that we used a lot of force. What, then, is little force? Should we have just stood by and watched protesters overthrow our government instead of taking action?" Suluhu questioned.

Adding, "These protests have not happened in Tanzania alone. We have also witnessed these protests in our neighbours. Many protesters took to the streets, but their government used a lot of force."

Suluhu lamented at what she described as a double standard by the international community, questioning why they could not direct similar criticism at the neighbouring country for using excessive force against its protesters.

In her speech, Suluhu vowed to restore peace and order in the country, insisting that Tanzanian police would continue to pursue those behind the recent chaos.

Her sentiments come on the back of renewed calls by the country’s opposition and the international community for action against Suluhu’s administration over the killings witnessed during the Tanzanian polls.

The Madrid Bar Association, jointly with other human rights groups, on November 25 filed apetition at ICC for formal investigationsinto what they described as state-engineering assault on civilians, murders, tortures and forced disappearances.

The Tanzanian elections held on October 29 this year were marked by violence, which resulted in the death of several people, including a Kenyan teacher.