Presidential Commission lifts the lid on its mandatory tasks

DAR ES SALAAM: CHAIRMAN of the Presidential Commission of Criminal Inquiry into incidents of violence during and after the 2025 General Election, Shaban Lila, has said there is a significant difference between his commission and the Electoral Commission, with each having distinct mandates and jurisdictions.

Lila said the Presidential Commission of Criminal Inquiry had been tasked with conducting an in-depth investigation into incidents of violence and breaches of peace that occurred during and after the 2025 General Election, unlike an earlier commission whose inquiry focused primarily on identifying the nature and extent of the violence.

He said his commission’s investigation goes a step further by seeking to establish those involved in planning, inciting, financing or carrying out acts that resulted in violence and breaches of peace.

“There is a major difference. The earlier commission was tasked with identifying the type of violence, unrest and breaches of peace that occurred. It did not proceed to investigate who planned, incited, financed or carried out those acts,” Lila said.

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He added that the commission is also investigating the consequences of the violence, including deaths, how the incidents were contained and the measures taken by security and other state authorities to restore peace.

According to Lila, the commission’s mandate is to examine in detail the severity of the incidents, the extent to which they violated established procedures and laws, and any criminal matters that may be linked to the events.

He stressed that the inquiry differs from the mandate of the Electoral Commission, whose primary responsibility is to oversee and coordinate the electoral process in accordance with the law.

Lila said the distinction in mandates is important to ensure that each institution carries out its responsibilities within its legally defined authority, while the criminal inquiry seeks to establish the causes, individuals involved and circumstances that led to the violence and breaches of peace.