BY MBONEKO MUNYAGA
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed a Special Criminal Investigation Commission of Inquiry to investigate incidents of violence reported during and after the October 29, 2025 General Election.
The appointment, announced on May 18, 2026, is being viewed as a significant step towards national healing and accountability following a difficult period in the country’s political life.
A statement issued by State House and signed by the Chief Secretary (CS), Dr Moses Kusiluka, said the Commission will be chaired by Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Shaban Ally Lila.
Other commissioners named in the statement are retired High Court Judges Gad John Mjemmas, Awadh Mohammed Bawazir and Aishieli Nelson Sumari.
The statement did not specify the Commission’s lifespan or its detailed terms of reference. Observers expect these matters to be clarified either during the swearing-in of the commissioners or through a further official announcement.
Although the full scope of the Commission is yet to be made public, commissions of inquiry of this nature are generally empowered to receive evidence, summon witnesses and make recommendations to the relevant authorities. Such recommendations may include further investigations, prosecution or administrative action, depending on the findings.
Tanzania has previously established commissions of inquiry to examine serious matters of public concern.
One notable example was the commission chaired by Judge Mussa Kipenka, which investigated the killing of three mineral dealers from Mahenge and a taxi driver in Dar es Salaam in 2006.
At the time, police had initially described the deceased as suspected bandits who had been killed during an exchange of fire with law enforcement officers. The Kipenka Commission later raised serious concerns about the circumstances of the killings and the conduct of some police officers involved.
The matter eventually led to a high-profile murder trial involving several police officers, including the then Dar es Salaam Regional Crime Officer (RCO), Abdallah Zombe. Mr Zombe was acquitted and absolved of criminal responsibility by the court.
However, the former Kinondoni District Crime Officer (DCO), Christopher Bageni, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, as required under Tanzania law. He remains on death row.
The Arusha News also recalls an earlier criminal investigation commission established during the leadership of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. That inquiry involved the then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hamza Aziz Ally, who served from 1970 to 1973.
According to accounts of the incident, Aziz reported to a police station in Dar es Salaam that he had struck something while driving at night, although he was reportedly unsure what it was. Police officers later found a person dead near the area he had mentioned, prompting public calls for the matter to be investigated.
A commission chaired by High Court Judge Dan Mapigano was subsequently established. Legal observers later argued that some of the commission’s findings may have affected Aziz’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. As a result, he was not tried in court.
The newly appointed Lila Commission will pursue the earlier work of the commission chaired by retired Chief Justice and former United Nations jurist Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, which examined the events surrounding last October’s election violence.
The Chande Commission reportedly found that 518 people were killed in election-related violence across the country, including 53 in Arusha. However, the opposition has disputed the figure. Opposition stalwart Mr Godbless Lema recently claimed at a public rally that the number did not reflect the full scale of the deaths.
The Lila Commission is therefore expected to face a demanding task, particularly if it is required to identify victims, examine the circumstances of their deaths and determine whether any individuals should be recommended for further legal action.
Beyond the deaths reported in the election period, some observers argue that lasting peace and stability will also require the government to address broader public concerns that had emerged before the October events. These include reported cases of abductions, torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, which human rights advocates and critics say contributed to fear and anxiety among sections of the public.
President Samia has promised to address what happened with courage and determination, saying the country needs healing, unity and a renewed commitment to moving forwards together.
