The Thabo Mbeki Foundation has released a strong statement on the October 29 general election in Tanzania, saying the country is facing a deeply troubling political moment that requires urgent national healing and honest dialogue.

In the statement issued on November 23, the Foundation expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones during the post-election violence and wished quick recovery to those injured.

The Foundation said election observer missions from SADC and the African Union had already raised serious concerns about how the election was conducted. Both observer teams said the vote did not meet regional or international standards and that many Tanzanians were unable to freely exercise their democratic rights.

According to the Foundation, these findings suggest that the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) do not reflect the will of the people.

The statement warned that Tanzania now faces the deeply troubling conclusion of having a government whose legitimacy is in question, noting that the current administration appears to have been imposed through force and fraudulent means. It also highlighted ongoing reports of violence, including abductions and killings of opposition supporters.

The Foundation said Tanzania deserves a path toward justice, truth and national unity, calling for an honest and inclusive national dialogue.

Max Boqwana, the Chief Executive Officer of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, said the people of Tanzania owe this healing process to themselves and to the legacy of the late President Julius Nyerere.