The East African Civil Society Organisations’ Forum (EACSOF) has urged Tanzania to embark on reconciliation and institutional reforms following the 2025 General Elections, calling for calm, accountability, and the restoration of public trust through the “4Rs” — Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms, and Rebuilding.
Nairobi, November 8, 2025 — The East African Civil Society Organisations’ Forum (EACSOF) has issued a strong statement on the 2025 General Elections in the United Republic of Tanzania, calling for reconciliation, resilience, reforms, and rebuilding to restore public trust and strengthen the country’s democratic institutions.
EACSOF described Tanzania as a long-standing pillar of peace, dialogue, and good governance in Africa, noting that its historic role in regional mediation and the liberation of African nations has earned it recognition as a stabilising force on the continent. The Forum said the decision to host the East African Community (EAC) headquarters in Arusha symbolises the region’s confidence in Tanzania’s commitment to regional integration and rule-based governance.
In its statement, EACSOF expressed solidarity with all Tanzanians affected by the recent civil unrest following the elections, extending condolences to families who lost loved ones and sympathy to those injured or displaced. The Forum urged citizens to remain calm and adhere to constitutional and legal processes as the nation navigates this sensitive period.
While observing that election monitors from the EAC, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the African Union commended the professional conduct of electoral officials and the largely peaceful campaigns, the Forum said structural gaps remain. It cited weaknesses in the legal and institutional framework, limited access to public information, and isolated incidents of unrest that undermined public confidence in the electoral process.
EACSOF said Tanzania already possesses credible national mechanisms to guide it through this period of review and renewal. These include the Taskforce on Political Reconciliation chaired by Professor Rwekaza Mukandala, which submitted its report in October 2022, and the Commission for the Review and Improvement of the Criminal Justice System led by retired Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, which concluded its work in July 2023 and presented 13 key recommendations and 333 specific measures for implementation. The Forum noted that these frameworks, together with the national 4Rs agenda — Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms and Rebuilding — form a credible foundation for institutional reform, social cohesion, and national renewal.
EACSOF further invoked the principles of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, which outlines democracy, the rule of law, accountability, transparency, and respect for human rights as core obligations for all Partner States. It urged consistent implementation of these provisions in Tanzania to strengthen institutional legitimacy and public confidence in governance.
The Forum appealed to the Government of Tanzania to uphold constitutional guarantees of life, liberty, and participation, and to ensure that all security operations are conducted with restraint, proportionality, and accountability. It also encouraged political parties and leaders to exercise responsibility and act in the broader national interest, while urging civil society and the media to continue advancing transparency, civic education, and professional dialogue.
Regional and international partners were called upon to support Tanzania’s reform and reconciliation processes with impartiality and respect for local ownership, while citizens were encouraged to remain composed, law-abiding, and committed to national unity.
EACSOF reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate with national institutions, EAC organs, and regional civil society networks to advance democratic governance, human rights, and regional cohesion.
“Peace is not the silence of fear but the presence of justice. Tanzania has taught this truth to the region for generations. It must now rediscover it within its own borders, through reconciliation, reform, and renewal,” the Forum concluded.
The statement was issued by the Governing Council and National Chapters of EACSOF, representing civil society organisations from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and other East African states.
