Tanzania Army Warns Against Attempts to Involve It in Politics
Tanzania Air Force Captain John Charles Tesha posted a viral video on October 4–5, 2025, calling for a military takeover and accusing President Samia Suluhu Hassan of lacking vision, failing the country, and being controlled by a “deep state.” Tesha specifically urged the military’s top leadership to intervene and for Gen Z to rise up and demand change. He also called for a boycott or halting of Tanzania’s October 29, 2025, general elections, claiming they would be rigged, and demanded investigations into alleged corruption, human rights abuses, political interference, and the circumstances of former President John Magufuli’s death
The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) responded firmly, issuing a public statement via Acting Director of Information and Public Relations Colonel Bernard Masala Mlunga :
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The TPDF reaffirmed its loyalty to the constitution and its professional and non-partisan stance and warned against attempts to politicize the military or involve it in political matters.
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The military warned the public against using social media for misinformation and emphasized that those claiming to represent or speak for the military but engaging in activism may have been dismissed previously. theafricascorecard+1
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No direct disciplinary or legal actions against Tesha have been announced as of the latest reports, but confirmations indicate he is a real officer and has now been suspended and discharged from duty.
According to the National Governance and Corruption Survey (2020), the TPDF is viewed as Tanzania’s most trusted institution, with over 60% of citizens perceiving its officials as highly principled.
The incidents have sparked debate and further warnings from authorities and the police about spreading unverified information or inciting unrest just weeks before Tanzania’s general elections.
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