Over 30,000 Sign Petition to Arrest Tanzanian Leader Over Alleged Massacre

A digital campaign calling for the arrest of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the formal recognition of state violence as a “massacre” has garnered significant international attention, surpassing 30,000 signatures on the online platform Change.org (Click to view petition)

The petition, spearheaded by prominent Kenyan blogger and activist Cyprian Nyakundi, alleges that the Tanzanian government under President Samia is responsible for a campaign of abductions and killings targeting civilians. While public dissent has been notably muted within Tanzania, the initiative has found a vocal base of support among Kenyans and the Tanzanian diaspora.

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Mr. Nyakundi has publicly urged more Kenyans to add their signatures to build pressure on international bodies to take action. “We must stand for our neighbours,” Nyakundi stated in a social media post, framing the issue as a regional human rights crisis.

The petition serves as a collective repository for harrowing personal accounts from individuals who claim to be victims of state-sponsored violence. One signatory, who identified as a Tanzanian resident of Tanganyika, shared a detailed testimony dated October 30, 2025.

The individual recounted an incident where their three siblings were trapped inside a burning shop after it was struck by two bombs. According to the testimony, the victims remained inside, choking on smoke for approximately 30 minutes, because Tanzanian police were patrolling outside and had just killed a customer in front of the shop.

“The psychological torture and fear that they experienced for no reason at all is why I do this,” the signatory wrote. “And for many others who had to go through that, especially our loved ones we have lost.”

This testimony, along with others on the petition page, points to the profound psychological impact and alleged human rights abuses fueling the campaign. The claims depict a climate of intense fear, contradicting the government’s narrative of stability.

The Tanzanian government has consistently denied allegations of systematic violence against its citizens. Requests for comment on the specific allegations within the petition were not immediately returned.

The growing signature count on the petition highlights escalating international concern regarding the political and human rights situation in Tanzania. While the Change.org petition itself holds no legal authority to compel an arrest, its rising support signals a coordinated effort to bring global scrutiny to President Samia’s administration and demand an independent investigation into the alleged atrocities.

As the digital campaign continues to gain momentum, all eyes are on the international community’s response and whether the allegations will prompt a formal inquiry into what petitioners are calling a “massacre.”

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