Tanzania Episcopal Conference Secretary General Urges Repentance over 2025 Election Violence

Father Charles Kitima, Secretary General of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, called on Tanzanians to seek God's forgiveness for the killings that occurred during the 2025 election protests. Speaking during a Mass to remember the victims at the conference chapel in the Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam, Kitima stated that the nation must repent for the evil that caused many deaths. He urged the faithful to pray for those who died and to seek conversion.

The Mass addressed the violence that followed the disputed 2025 election. On October 29, 2025, protests against the re-election of President Samia Suluhu Hassan escalated into widespread violence. Reports indicated that 518 people died during the unrest, including 197 people shot dead. The deceased included 490 men, 21 children, and 16 security officers. Some estimates suggest the death toll may be higher because some victims were buried without notifying authorities. More than 2,000 people were injured, including 120 security officers.