Butiku: Tanzanians need facts to settle October violence dispute

“The question is, who caused the violence? It is an important matter. How do you know? How does the President know? How do I know?” he said.

He said the inquiry should therefore be allowed to do its work instead of being judged before presenting its findings.

“I still advise, as I advised on the first commission, that we accept it. Let us stop too many words and let it work. Let us come and see the results of its work,” he said.

Mr Butiku said the process would give people an opportunity to search for facts, reflect on what happened and advise President Samia Suluhu Hassan before decisions are made.

He said Tanzanians should also recognise the constitutional responsibility of the President to make final decisions on difficult national matters.

“We have one president. I repeat, we have one president. Everyone cannot turn into a president,” he said.

However, Mr Butiku, said supporting the President did not mean that citizens should abandon dialogue or scrutiny, urging Tanzanians to build greater trust and tolerance.

“Democracy is faith. If you do not trust one another, it will never exist,” he said.

He called on young people to trust the President while engaging with her through respectful dialogue, recalling her call for citizens to “speak freely but speak with respect.”

“Let us start trusting one another,” he said, adding that solving major national problems required people to tolerate and listen to one another.

He also urged opposition parties to conduct their political activities with respect, trust and a commitment to facts.

“I would like to advise that the opposition should stand on respect and trust and a certain level of truth,” he said.

Mr Butiku said the findings of the inquiry could provide the factual basis needed by political actors and citizens to make informed decisions about the way forward.

He said Tanzania's multiparty system should not turn political differences into permanent confrontation, arguing that disagreements should instead be addressed through evidence and dialogue.

“Let us start guiding one another; let us not oppose everything. Let us start leading one another with arguments,” he said.

Mr Butiku also defended his support for President Hassan, saying his position should not be mistaken for partisan loyalty.

“As an old man, I know that if I say this, some people will say, ‘Oh, he supports the President.’ Who else should I support? I support my President,” he said.

He said Tanzania needed to give the inquiry room to work and use its findings to help rebuild trust and move beyond the dispute over the October violence.