She said this in a speech addressed to the citizens of her country, ignoring the fact that these security forces are accused of killing hundreds of demonstrators, even though she claims the youth had been paid to do what they did.

Samia Suluhu Hassan said: “Those were not protests; they were riots driven by malicious intentions. What happened was something that had been planned, and those who organized it aimed to overthrow our government. In such moments, the Government must fulfill its responsibilities, and we have sworn to protect this country and its borders, as well as to safeguard the peace of its citizens and their property. Therefore, the force that was used matches what happened.”

The President of Tanzania said that accusations directed at the country’s security agencies for using excessive force against the demonstrators are baseless.

She said:“When we are told that we used excessive force in that operation, then what would non-excessive force have been? Were we supposed to wait until the demonstrators who had planned to overthrow the government succeeded?”

In an angry tone, Samia also criticized opposition groups, civil society, religious leaders, and foreign countries that condemned the excessive force used against protesters and argued that what happened set back Tanzania’s democracy.

She said: “These foreigners you mention who say Tanzania should do this, that, or the other who are they? Do they still think they are our bosses, our colonial masters? Why? Because of the little money they give us?”

The opposition party Chadema says that around 2,000 people were killed in the protests, although the Government of Tanzania says that figure is exaggerated.