The United States is reevaluating its relations with Tanzania due to concerns over religious freedom, freedom of expression, obstacles to U.S. investment, and violence against civilians, the U.S. State Department reported on Thursday (4).
According to Reuters, the U.S. issued security alerts for Americans in the East African country following general elections in October, which were marked by violent protests. Human rights groups, opposition parties, and the United Nations reported that hundreds of people were killed in the clashes, although the Tanzanian government contests these figures as exaggerated.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan stated that the elections were fair and promised to investigate the violence after the unrest led to the country’s largest political crisis in decades.
The State Department emphasized that the U.S. is conducting a comprehensive review after recent government actions raised serious concerns about bilateral relations and Tanzania’s reliability as a partner.
“The ongoing repression by the Tanzanian government of religious freedom and freedom of expression, the persistent obstacles to U.S. investment, and the disturbing violence against civilians in the days before and after the October 29 elections necessitated this reconsideration of our ties,” the Department said in a statement, adding that these actions put Americans at risk.
In a separate statement, U.N. human rights experts said they had also been informed that the remains of those killed in the election-related clashes were being buried in unmarked mass graves or incinerated after disappearing from morgues.
“The government must provide information on the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons and ensure the proper identification and dignified return of remains to their families,” the experts said.
Tanzanian government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the U.S. statement.
In response to the U.N. experts’ statement, Msigwa said that many reports circulating in the media and on social platforms lack verified evidence. “Therefore, it is important that we allow the investigation team to complete its work so that we can rely on accurate information and confirmed figures,” he said.
The State Department did not provide further details on what it considers obstacles to U.S. investment in Tanzania.
Last November, U.S. President Donald Trump placed Nigeria back on the list of countries that, according to the U.S., violated religious freedom, citing the killing of Christians.
