President Samia Suluhu Hassan has granted clemency to 1,548 prisoners across Tanzania as part of the country’s celebrations marking its 63rd Independence Anniversary.
This compassionate gesture offers a fresh opportunity for the pardoned individuals to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
The announcement, made on Monday by Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Daniel Sillo, revealed that 22 prisoners were released immediately, while the sentences of 1,526 others have been reduced.
The amnesty applies to several categories of prisoners, prioritising the most vulnerable, including those who are terminally ill, elderly individuals aged 70 or above, pregnant women incarcerated during their pregnancies, and those with severe disabilities.
Additionally, inmates whose death sentences were previously commuted to life imprisonment, those who have served 15 years or more regardless of their offences, and detainees held for over a decade were also considered.
Prisoners serving sentences of two years or more who had completed at least a quarter of their terms by October 19, 2024 were included in the clemency.
In the government’s statement, it was emphasised that the released individuals are expected to reintegrate into society as responsible citizens, avoiding actions that could lead to reoffending.
The pardons are in line with the spirit of Tanzania’s Independence Day, which commemorates the nation’s liberation from British colonial rule in 1961. The celebration is also a reminder of the historic union with Zanzibar in 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanzania.
