The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has called for calm in Tanzania following post-election violence that has sparked international alarm while some European Union (EU) legislators have backed Tanzanians for defending democracy.
In a statement dated October 31 2025, President Peter Mutharika, in his capacity as chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation said the regional bloc was “deeply concerned” by the ongoing situation in Tanzania that has also affected importation of commodities into Malawi.
He called for maximum restraint and avoidance of actions that could further escalate unrest.
Mutharika further appealed for an immediate cessation of hostilities and emphasised the importance of prioritising the well-being of Tanzanians.
“Sadc reaffirms its readiness to assist, through appropriate mechanisms, in facilitating a peaceful resolution to the current challenges,” he said.
Mutharika stressed that the region’s shared goal remains the restoration of harmony, good governance, and sustainable development.
In a related development, six members of the European Parliament have voiced solidarity with Tanzanians for “courageously taking to the streets to demand democracy, justice, and accountability”.
The members described the protests as not acts of chaos, but a legitimate movement for democratic renewal.
Reads the statement in part: “The international community must refrain from hastily recognising the recent election results until credible investigations have taken place and democratic standards are ensured.
“If the military assumes a role in this critical moment, it must be strictly limited to facilitating a peaceful and democratic transition, not entrenching power. The people of Tanzania deserve freedom, dignity, and a government that reflects their will.”
Independent National Electoral Commission of Tanzania and the Zanzibar Electoral Commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of Tanzania’s presidential election with 98 percent of the votes to secure another term.
According to BBC, on Friday demonstrators from Dar es Salaam and other cities took to the streets, tearing down Hassan’s posters and attacking police and polling stations despite warnings from the army chief to end the unrest,.
The demonstrations are mostly led by young protesters, who have denounced the election as unfair. They accuse the government of undermining democracy by suppressing the main opposition leaders, one is in jail and another was excluded on technical grounds.
