Calm prevails across Tanzania as July 7 goes without protests

Police maintained a visible presence in major towns and cities, urging the public to remain calm and continue with their normal routines.

In the Kilimanjaro Region, Regional Police Commander Simon Maigwa assured residents that security remained stable and dismissed concerns arising from messages circulating on social media.

“The region is peaceful. All areas are safe and people are continuing with their daily activities.

Visitors coming to Kilimanjaro for medical services, education or tourism should have no cause for concern,” he said, adding that the deployment of security personnel formed part of routine efforts to safeguard lives and property.

A tour of Moshi Municipality found shops, markets, transport services and public institutions operating normally.

Public buses, commuter vehicles, taxis and motorcycle taxis continued operating throughout the day, while residents carried on with their daily routines.

Motorcycle taxi rider Oscar Madirisha said there were no signs of disturbances, while vegetable trader Maria Mosha said business had continued as usual despite earlier concerns fuelled by social media reports.

In Iringa Municipality, shops, markets and transport services remained open, although some traders reported fewer customers than on a normal weekday.

Police officers were seen conducting routine patrols at markets, bus terminals and other public areas to safeguard people and property.

Trader John Mwabela said customer numbers were lower than usual but business continued, while resident Neema Mwasi said she had carried out her shopping without encountering any security concerns.

Motorcycle taxi operator Juma Msile also said transport services continued uninterrupted despite lighter passenger traffic during the morning.

In Mwanza, Regional Police Commander Wilbrod Mutafungwa urged residents not to be alarmed by the increased presence of police officers during the Sabasaba celebrations, saying security deployment was part of the force’s responsibility to protect the public.

He warned that anyone attempting to disrupt public order would face legal action, while traders at the city’s main market said business was continuing peacefully.

Several residents said they had seen no indication of the demonstrations that had been widely discussed on social media.

In Tanga, normal business activities continued across the city, with shops, markets and public transport operating as usual.

Traders who had initially been concerned by reports of possible demonstrations said confidence returned after seeing that the situation remained peaceful.

Similar scenes were observed in Morogoro, where most economic and social activities proceeded normally despite some traders choosing not to open their shops as a precaution after reports circulating online.

Arif Othman, a trader in Morogoro Municipality, said business had continued without incident since morning, while the regional traders’ secretary, Hussein Chalela, stressed that peace remained essential for commerce and economic growth.

Police officers conducted patrols in parts of the municipality as part of routine security operations.

In Mbeya, the atmosphere remained calm despite noticeably reduced business activity.

Many shops remained closed, public transport services were less busy than usual and fewer people were seen in the city centre.

Some traders said reports of possible protests had prompted residents to limit their movements, affecting business during the morning hours.

Nevertheless, those who opened their businesses continued operating without disruption as security patrols were maintained across strategic locations.

Dar es Salaam also experienced lighter-than-usual activity in some areas, including Sinza and the Ubungo Mawasiliano bus terminal.

Many shops remained closed during the morning, while fewer commuter buses were on the roads. However, no disturbances were reported and security remained visible.

Meanwhile, the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) continued without disruption despite a slower start to one of its busiest days.

July 7, popularly known as Sabasaba Day, traditionally attracts thousands of visitors from across the country to the annual exhibition.

Although attendance during the morning was below the levels normally seen on the public holiday, visitor numbers steadily increased as the day progressed.

A walk around the exhibition grounds showed exhibitors serving customers, families touring pavilions and visitors exploring products and technologies across different sectors.

Security personnel remained deployed at entry gates and strategic locations inside the grounds, while visitors moved freely without disruption despite intermittent rainfall.

Visitor Wilhelm Ngusa said he had travelled to the fair to explore agricultural technologies and found the atmosphere peaceful.

“I came to see the technologies on display, especially those related to agriculture. The situation is calm and people are moving around normally,” he said, adding that attendance was gradually improving as confidence returned.

Exhibitor Neema Mushi said she had initially considered delaying the opening of her stand after seeing messages on social media but decided to report as scheduled after confirming that the exhibition was proceeding normally.

Several exhibitors said customer traffic was slower than usual during the early hours because of concerns over the reported demonstrations and the rainy weather.

However, they expressed confidence that visitor numbers would continue rising throughout the afternoon and evening.

Across the country, police continued urging the public to rely on official information, ignore unverified reports circulating online and continue with their normal activities, as the July 7 celebrations concluded peacefully in the areas monitored by The Citizen.