A fearless uprising that turned fatal - Tanzania

The uprising in Tanzania was unanticipated. Not even in our wildest imagination did we foresee such a revolt - one that has shocked the continent to its core. Eyes were on Madagascar, Cameroon, and Kenya, especially after Madagascar's successful military coup last October. Yet suddenly, before the cock could crow three times, Tanzanian youth spoke the language of regime change: an uprising, the universal language of the unheard. They knew the consequences - carnage - but they did it anyway.

Fearless is not a compliment but a fact established on the ground. It mirrors government negligence. Beware the fury of the Tanzanian people. They have been cheated for too long. Empty promises have become the order of the day. Governments have taken the people for granted. They wished for rain - when thunderstorms came, collateral damage was inevitable.

These are copycat activities that will sweep across Africa whether we want them or not. African Gen Zs are cleansing the continent from Morocco to the Cape of Good Hope with their own blood. Nine elections are scheduled in Africa in 2026. Lord have mercy.

Neglect in every aspect of daily life is evident. The uprising had to happen. Estimates suggest between 1,000 and 3,000 lives were lost during the nationwide demonstrations. Deaths occurred in major towns and cities. Army units collected the bodies in harrowing fashion. Videos show soldiers dragging corpses as if they were sacks of maize, tossing them into trucks like game meat from Serengeti National Park. Disgusting.

Hospitals and clinics were instructed to conceal the dead before collection. Journalists were denied information. Bodies were buried secretly in mass graves to hide atrocities of unimaginable scale.

The Tanzanian demonstrations attracted Gen Zs from Kenya. They crossed the border to support their Tanzanian peers, sharing the same grievances. Kenya's youth have also risen against President Ruto, accusing him of failing them. The dead collected in Tanzanian streets may include Kenyans who joined the protests. Both governments failed their youth - in life and in death.

How will the world judge Africans when they see Tanzanian soldiers treating corpses with zero dignity? "Uncouth and primitive," they will say. Sadly, such critiques fit our actions. Ubuntu has been abandoned. Humanity has left us.

The Tanzanian army demonstrated barbarism and gross inhumanity: premeditated killings of unarmed civilians, concealment of death tolls, and secret burials. President Samia Suluhu Hassan showed no remorse. She doubled down, blaming foreign intervention for the shootings. Yet cameras captured police and armed men firing indiscriminately into crowds. No "foreign criminals" were arrested. Opposition voices allege mercenaries were contracted by Suluhu's government. A red flag.

The shootings were stage-managed by Chama Cha Mapinduzi, the ruling party's old guard. Contingencies were in place long before the elections. Suluhu now carries the blood-tainted tag of mass brutality. Her soft-spoken voice should not fool anyone. This is not about gender. Women can be as ruthless as men in power.

The carnage constitutes a criminal offence for review at the ICJ and ICC. Irregularities were widespread. Vote stuffing was recorded. Results of 98% are abnormal in any democracy. Social media was shut down. Major opposition parties were barred from contesting. The entire process was a farce.

Regional responses were worrisome. Despotic leaders congratulated Suluhu. Ramaphosa, newly appointed SADC chair, remained ambiguous. Hope lies in Namibia and Botswana. Former Botswana President Ian Khama openly rejected Suluhu's sham election. Meanwhile, Zambia's Hichilema has already sold his soul. Pelted with stones in Northern Province, he is no longer the favourite for 2026. Zambia faces its own turmoil. Former President Edgar Lungu's burial is still contested in South African courts.

Most African presidents are cut from the same cloth. They exploit the global decay of democratic values, ruling with impunity. Museveni, too old and incoherent, cannot lead Africa into the 21st century. The continent needs capable young leaders to transform its fortunes.

We once believed women were better leaders. Suluhu has shattered that illusion. Leadership is not about gender - it is about principle. Her ruthlessness proves women can be as destructive as men.

The least expected of Suluhu is to declare a national week of mourning for the thousands who died in five days. If she does not, it will confirm that African leaders do not care. Mass graves deny families the right to bury their loved ones. Ordinary people are disposable to politicians.

This case must reach the UN, ICJ, and ICC. An international commission of inquiry must investigate the causes of mass deaths. Accountability is the hope of parents who lost children under a careless government. Samia Suluhu must face justice so that our children can rest in peace.