Butiku urges trust in Lila Commission

TANZANIA: FORMER Mwalimu Julius Nyerere aide Mzee Joseph Butiku has called on Tanzanians to exercise tolerance and give the newly appointed commission of inquiry a fair chance to investigate the violence and violations of the law during and after the 2025 General Election.

Mr Butiku, who also chairs the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation (MNF), made the appeal amid heated public and political debate over the six-member commission, chaired by Court of Appeal Judge Shabani Ally Lila, which was launched on August 7, 2026.

The commission, which includes members from Zimbabwe and Uganda, has been tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the unrest, including individuals alleged to have planned, financed, incited or participated in acts of violence that followed the elections.

Mr Butiku urged Tanzanians not to prejudge the process, saying the country should give the commission room to perform its duties before drawing conclusions.

“As an experienced man and a senior citizen of this country, I hereby ask all Tanzanians to remain tolerant and accord a respectful trust to our President, who is passionately implementing the recommendations provided by the Judge Chande-led team that proposed for a commission of inquiry into the matter,” he said.

In his view, President Samia had taken an important step towards addressing the circumstances surrounding the post-election unrest and deserved an opportunity to see the process through.

“As an old man, I know this country very well. I wish to remind Tanzanians that we only have one top leader, and not every person can be president,” he said.

Mr Butiku called for an end to suspicion surrounding the commission, urging citizens to allow it to complete its work and await its findings.

“It is very important to give space to the President to decide on the fate of this nation and leave away all suspicions around this commission. Let us give it space and await the outcomes of its investigations,” he said.

According to Mr Butiku, the inquiry could provide a clearer understanding of what happened during the unrest, including those who may have orchestrated or contributed to the violence.

He said the commission’s recommendations could also help the country address underlying problems and prevent similar incidents from recurring.

“The recommendations that will be provided by the commission of inquiry will help us to bring such incidences to an end and avoid their recurrence in future,” he noted.

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Mr Butiku also appealed to politicians to put trust at the centre of their engagement, arguing that mutual confidence was essential for a functioning democracy.

“In a democratic society, we need to trust each other and in this matter we need to entrust powers to the President who was elected by a majority number of Tanzanians,” he said.

He further turned his attention to Tanzania’s youths, who make up a significant proportion of the population, urging them to exercise caution when consuming and sharing information on social media.

He advised young people to carefully assess what they hear, whom they listen to and the advice they choose to follow, warning that irresponsible information could contribute to instability.

“Not every person can give you advice. Some of them are likely to mislead you and force you to plunge the country into chaos,” he cautioned.

Mr Butiku also urged opposition parties to embrace respect and mutual trust, saying political opposition should not mean rejecting every initiative, including those aimed at finding practical solutions to challenges facing the country.