President Samia Suluhu Hassan has criticized Western interference in Tanzania's internal affairs and urged foreign diplomats to respect the country's sovereignty.
Without naming specific countries, President Samia asserted that Tanzania will not accept directives from any foreign government on managing its affairs.
This follows public statements from several Western embassies in Tanzania expressing concern over the recent abduction and murder of a senior member of the opposition CHADEMA party. Western envoys, led by U.S. Ambassador Michael Battle, issued statements condemning political violence ahead of Tanzania's upcoming elections.
President Samia took issue with one of these statements, accusing it of dictating how to handle the situation to her government. "We know what to do as Tanzanians and as a country," she said while addressing senior police officers in Kilimanjaro.
The European Union, along with the British and Canadian High Commissions and the embassies of Norway and Switzerland, followed up with a joint statement expressing deep concern over the violence, disappearances, and deaths of political and human rights activists. They called for a thorough investigation into these incidents.
Earlier, the U.S. embassy had also condemned the use of excessive force by police during the arrests of CHADEMA leaders, youth participants, and journalists ahead of planned events in Mbeya for International Youth Day.
President Samia responded firmly, stating, "We don't need to be instructed by anyone about what to do. " She reminded foreign diplomats to respect the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits interference in a host country's internal affairs. She further indicated that she might file a formal complaint against a particular ambassador if it is confirmed that the controversial statement was not officially authorized.
The U.S. embassy had also called for an independent investigation into the murder of Ali Mohamed Kibao and other incidents of abduction and political violence. President Samia, however, drew a comparison with violent incidents in other countries, indirectly referencing assassination attempts on former U.S. President Donald Trump and mass shootings in the United States, emphasizing that Tanzania does not instruct foreign governments on their internal issues.
Since assuming office in March 2021, President Samia has worked to restore relations with Western countries, which were strained under her predecessor, John Magufuli. However, her recent comments suggest concerns over foreign interference ahead of the November local government elections and the 2025 general election.
In her speech on law and order, President Samia cautioned her political opponents not to interpret her silence as a sign of weakness and praised intelligence agencies for uncovering a plot by local politicians to incite violence. She instructed law enforcement to remain vigilant and take action against disruptions before, during, and after the upcoming elections.