Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has issued a stern warning to people who identify as activists, accusing them of engaging in terrorism actions. She said such actions, including disrupting peace and destroying property and infrastructure, are intended to intimidate the public and undermine the country’s development, stressing that the government will not tolerate them. President Samia made the remarks on Thursday, 9 July 2026, at the State House in Zanzibar during the signing of the Joint Political Reconciliation Declaration between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and ACT-Wazalendo.
Her remarks came about a week after Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said he had no respect for activists while speaking during a visit to Mara Region on 1 July 2026. The Prime Minister accused some activists of acting against the country’s interests and exploiting unrest for personal gain. He also claimed they had consistently attacked national leaders, including the fourth- and fifth-phase presidents, regardless of their contributions to the country.
On 9 July 2026, while swearing in 655 newly admitted advocates at Judicial Square, Tanzania’s Chief Justice, George Masaju, urged lawyers to remain professional and avoid becoming activists, stressing that they should perform their duties in line with the laws governing the legal profession. Earlier, on 31 May 2026, Government Chief Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa accused some self-described activists and their foreign sponsors of encouraging Tanzanian youth to spread insults and division instead of contributing to the country’s development. The strongest public rebuttal came from Bishop Benson Bagonza of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Karagwe Diocese. Speaking on 9 July he questioned whether Tanzania’s founding leaders, Julius Nyerere and Abeid Karume, were themselves activists, arguing that it was contradictory to demonize activism when the nation was built by people who fought for social and political change. Lawyer and activist Jebra Kambole also defended activism, saying activists raise issues of public concern and that digital platforms have expanded citizens’ ability to participate in public debate and hold leaders accountable.
These contrasting views reflect a widening debate in Tanzania, with the government portraying some forms of activism as a threat to national stability, while critics argue that activism is a legitimate tool for accountability and democratic participation.