Commonwealth Issues Demands To Tanzania Amid Rampant Human Rights Violations
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has issued specific requirements for Tanzania, expressing concern about documented violations of fundamental democratic ideals and human rights in the country.
The decision was taken during the seventy-first CMAG meeting, which was conducted virtually on December 5, and headed by Dr Ian Borg, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism.
The group expressed concern about the mounting challenges to Tanzania’s democracy, rule of law, judicial independence, human rights, and democratic space.
Particularly before and after the last elections, when President Samia Suluhu won with 98% of the vote.
The meeting accepted a report from Tanzania’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo (MP).
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group met to review critical developments in Tanzania.
— The Commonwealth (@commonwealthsec) December 5, 2025
Read the statement đź”— https://t.co/ygNZIuCWV4
Ministers expressed concern over reports of breaches of core Commonwealth values, including human rights, freedom of expression, democracy, the… pic.twitter.com/696mHcO0CX
It also praised the Commonwealth Secretary-General for quickly selecting former Malawian President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera as a Special Envoy to help the country.
However, the Commonwealth has placed Tanzania on the formal agenda for its next meeting in March 2026, with any decision contingent on the country satisfying four prerequisites.
These include granting Chakwera complete and unrestricted access to all essential parties.
Additionally, constraints on freedom of assembly, expression, civil society, and the media should be lifted, and an inter-party consultative body should be established to agree on a framework for the next election.
The fourth criterion entails open, legal, and administrative methods to hold perpetrators of abuse accountable and adequately compensate victims.
The group also requested that Suluhu’s government provide the terms of reference for its Commission of Inquiry and asked the Secretary-General to report on progress regarding these conditions at the next CMAG meeting.
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CMAG further encouraged Tanzania to utilize technical support from the Commonwealth to strengthen democratic stability, rule of law, separation of powers, constitutionalism, and good governance.
The next CMAG meeting is scheduled for 7 March 2026 during Commonwealth Week in London.
The development follows President Suluhu’s recent strong statement on the unrest during election day.
She said that the events were orchestrated by foreign actors aiming to undermine Tanzania’s long-standing peace and destabilize its governance.
Commonwealth Issues Demands To Tanzania Amid Rampant Human Rights Violations
