Tanzania Urges Citizens to Stay Home on Independence Day Amid Protest Concerns
The advisory comes amid heightened public interest following widespread online calls for protests during the national holiday
By : Mweru Mbugua
The Tanzanian government has called on citizens to mark this year’s Independence Day from home, advising that only essential service providers should report to work on December 9, 2025
Government spokesperson Mussa Azzan Zungu, conveying President Samia Suluhu’s message, extended Independence Day wishes to Tanzanians while urging the public to use the day for rest unless faced with an emergency or work duties that require physical presence
“The government urges all citizens who will have no emergency to spend the day resting. They should celebrate the day at home, apart from those whose work responsibilities need them to be at their work locations as directed,” Azzan said during a press briefing on Monday
The advisory comes amid heightened public interest following widespread online calls for protests during the national holiday
Tanzanian police have since declared that any demonstrations planned for Independence Day would be illegal
In a statement issued in Swahili on Friday, police spokesperson David Misime noted that while authorities were aware of the calls circulating on social media, no individual or group had formally notified the police as required by law
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Citing non-compliance with legal procedures and “unlawful tactics that have surfaced”, Misime said the proposed demonstrations no longer meet the threshold for authorization
“Therefore, the Police Force, as of today, bans the planned demonstrations described as peaceful and indefinite,” the statement read
The government now hopes that the home-based celebrations will minimize tension and maintain public order during the national holiday
