Tanzania launches inquiry into post-election killings, President Hassan tells parliament

Tanzania is launching an inquiry into last month’s post-election killings, President Samia Suluhu Hassan told parliament on Friday.

Opposition parties say hundreds of people were killed during protests following the October 29th presidential election and blame security forces for the deaths. The government has not released an official death toll.

Hassan said the inquiry would look into issues that led to the unrest and help inform reconciliation and peace efforts the government has pledged to undertake.

She acknowledged opposition party Chadema’s demands that for constitutional reforms and she said that her administration would embark on a reform process within its first 100 days.

Hundreds of people were also arrested during the three days of protests, some of whom have been charged with treason. Hassan said she had ordered the release of some of the protesters, adding that “as a mother” she had forgiven those who joined the demonstrations out of peer pressure.

“For those who were just following the wave, let them be counselled and released,” she said.

Young people in Tanzania began demonstrating on election day to protest the exclusion of presidential candidates from the two main opposition parties. President Hassan was declared the winner with more than 97 percent of the vote.