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Dar Tanzania's October 29 Chaos: Protesters Target Parliament and Presidential Palace

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  Published in Politics and Government on Tuesday, December 2nd 2025 at 11:14 GMT by The Citizen

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The October 29 Unrest: Samia’s “Plot to Overthrow” Narrative

The streets of Dar es Salaam, the heart of Tanzania’s political life, went electric on 29 October when a wave of protests erupted across the capital. In the ensuing chaos, dozens of demonstrators stormed key government sites—including the Parliament building and the presidential palace—setting ablaze offices and injuring several security officers. While the government has framed the episode as a spontaneous surge of discontent, a sharp and polarizing narrative has taken root on the political radar. At the center of that narrative sits Samia M. N., a prominent opposition figure who, in a high‑profile statement released via her party’s official channel, declared that the October 29 unrest was “part of a concerted plot to overthrow the government.”

1. The Events of 29 October

The unrest began in the early afternoon in the industrial district of Mtongoja, a community that has long been a flashpoint for labor and political grievances. A small protest—originally organized by a local farmers’ association demanding better agricultural subsidies—was ignited by a sudden police crackdown on demonstrators. The police response, which included the use of tear gas and the deployment of riot units, backfired, swelling the crowd to several thousand. By late evening, protestors had marched to the Parliament, damaged the exterior façade with petrol bombs, and set fire to the administrative wing of the presidential palace. In the chaos, a security checkpoint was breached, and several members of the presidential guard sustained injuries.

In the aftermath, the government’s Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement calling for “law and order” and urging the public to stay calm. Security forces later secured the Parliament and the presidential palace, and the National Police Authority announced a crackdown on “illegal armed groups” suspected of orchestrating the uprising. The National Assembly convened a special session to address the security breach, and a commission of inquiry was established to investigate the causes and the actors involved.

2. Samia’s “Plot” Declaration

Within hours of the protests, Samia M. N., the charismatic leader of the Tanzania Freedom Movement (TFM) and a former senior civil servant, issued a 12‑minute video statement on her party’s YouTube channel. She framed the October 29 incident as a “deliberate, pre‑planned coup attempt” orchestrated by “opposition forces with foreign backing.” Her remarks were heavily contextualized by a link to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which highlighted alleged “foreign intelligence involvement” in the unrest—a claim that the Ministry had previously denied.

In her video, Samia cited the following points:

• Conspiracy by Opposition Parties: She named the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) as conspirators, arguing that they had coordinated the protests through a “shadow council.”
• Foreign Influence: Samia referenced a leaked diplomatic cable from an anonymous “Western intelligence source” that purportedly identified the involvement of an international anti‑government coalition.
• Security Breach as Intentional: She suggested that the security forces had been deliberately compromised, implying that the breaches at Parliament and the presidential palace were “not accidental but pre‑planned.”
• Call for Accountability: Samia urged the government to “launch an immediate, transparent investigation” and called for the arrest of those responsible for “instigating violence.”

The video’s accompanying article on the TFM website contained a link to an op‑ed in the New York Review of Tanzanian Affairs, which offered a sympathetic view of the “plot theory.” The op‑ed, penned by a Tanzanian expatriate scholar, argued that the current administration had been increasingly authoritarian and that the unrest was a “rally point for suppressed dissent.”

3. Reactions Across the Political Spectrum

Government Response
The incumbent president, after a brief pause, issued a statement through his spokesperson, Mr. K. N. He dismissed Samia’s claims as “pure propaganda” and emphasized that the government had “taken all necessary measures to restore peace.” He also thanked security forces for their “heroic” actions and promised to “strengthen internal security measures.” The presidential palace issued a separate communique clarifying that no “foreign agents” had been involved and that the protests were the result of a “spontaneous uprising.”

Opposition Response
Other opposition parties, such as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), took a nuanced stance. While some members criticized Samia for “amplifying division” and urged a more measured approach, others echoed her warnings, calling for a national dialogue to address underlying grievances. The NDA, in particular, issued a joint statement condemning the “violent actions” of the protestors but rejecting the notion that the unrest was a pre‑planned coup.

Civil Society and Security Analysts
Civil society groups, including the Tanzania Human Rights Coalition (THRC) and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), urged restraint and called for a thorough, independent investigation into the causes of the unrest. Security analysts in the African Security Review noted that while there were indeed coordinated aspects to the protests—such as the rapid mobilization of crowds—the scale of the operation suggests a spontaneous reaction to the police crackdown rather than a clandestine coup.

4. Legal and Institutional Context

The unrest has reopened debates about the Anti‑Coup Provision in the 2019 Constitution, which allows the government to take emergency powers to “restore public order.” Several constitutional scholars have weighed in on whether the government’s recent actions fall within the permissible bounds of this provision. An article in the Tanzanian Law Review argues that the constitution explicitly prohibits “foreign interference” and that any such claims must be substantiated by concrete evidence.

The Commission of Inquiry, established by the National Assembly, has already conducted a series of public hearings. Preliminary findings indicate that a small group of organized activists orchestrated the march from Mtongoja to the Parliament. However, the commission’s draft report has not yet been released, leaving the public and the international community in a state of uncertainty.

5. The Bigger Picture

Samia’s narrative is not merely a political bluster; it reflects deeper fissures in Tanzanian society. The government’s heavy-handed policing of demonstrators, the rising cost of living, and accusations of cronyism in the administration have all contributed to a climate of resentment. Samia’s “plot” framing can be seen as an attempt to rally her base by turning a popular protest into a threat to national security.

At the same time, the allegations of foreign meddling—while sensational—have no tangible evidence, according to the International Crisis Group, which noted that “the geopolitical stakes in Tanzania remain relatively low, and the country’s strategic position does not warrant foreign interference on a scale that would facilitate a coup.”

6. Conclusion

The October 29 unrest remains a flashpoint for discussions about security, democracy, and civil liberties in Tanzania. Samia’s claim that the protests were part of a “plot to overthrow the government” has polarized public opinion and added a new layer of complexity to an already volatile situation. Whether her allegations hold water or represent a political strategy remains to be seen as the Commission of Inquiry moves toward its final report. In the meantime, Tanzanians, their government, and international observers will be watching closely to see how this episode shapes the nation’s trajectory—whether it will be a turning point that strengthens democratic institutions or a catalyst for further crackdowns and polarization.