# Talk:Samia Suluhu Hassan

I'm new to the topic but preparing this article for the catalan wikipedia, it seems like, despite generally improving the state of the country, there is still lots of problems and questionable governance. 
There is an important conflict/topic not being addressed in this article.
- https://witnessradio.org/urgent-alert-tanzanian-government-on-a-rampage-against-indigenous-people/
- https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/blog/epic-tanzania-tour-sportswashing-abuses-maasai
Also, I have the feeling that this article is avoiding or minimizing criticism... and thus offering a biased view. 
- https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/east-africa-the-horn-and-great-lakes/tanzania/report-tanzania/
- https://www.amnistia.org/en/news/2023/08/24576/tanzania-detained-critics-of-uae-port-deal-must-be-immediately-released
I may include this information in the article if you consider it appropriate. Sorneguer (talk) 08:33, 12 March 2024 (UTC)

The purpose of Wikipedia is not to document every negative thing written about a person. The article as it stands summarizes the most commonly written things about Suluhu Hassan. It looks like you went out of your way to find negative coverage solely for the sake of adding negative coverage. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 19:01, 12 March 2024 (UTC)
I think you should follow your own conscience and not be afraid to be bold. I do not at all get the sense that you intentionally went hunting for negative things. If you even search Tanzania online you get many similar news stories during her time in office, for example -
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy6x7jgx75o
You do not need permission to include them. I am thinking of working on this some myself when I get the time. 2600:6C44:44F0:B210:1551:595B:15F8:3A86 (talk) 01:28, 5 June 2025 (UTC)
Your reply to this person is verging on trying to silence him or her. What part of “noticed a bias in the article while working to translate it to Catalan” screams went hunting for negative stories to you? And what’s more it’s very true. And I say that with a heavy heart - certainly she seems to be a much more humanitarian president than her predecessor.  And I am very in favor of more female leadership and appreciate that she did improve things. But hiding the criticism or negative news will not help her or any of us. Even if someone DID go looking for negative news to include, if it is true, it should be included. The only world leaders whose pages lack a “criticism” “opposition” or “controversy” section or some equivalent are that way from either neglect or deliberate manipulation. Not because there is just no criticism or controversy worth including. 2600:6C44:44F0:B210:1551:595B:15F8:3A86 (talk) 01:33, 5 June 2025 (UTC)
Criticism and controversy sections are highly inappropriate on biographies of living people and I remove them whenever possible. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 🛸 01:54, 5 June 2025 (UTC)

Should the birthplace details be changed to (now part of Tanzania)?
~2025-31437-72 (talk) 10:24, 5 November 2025 (UTC)

Subject: Addition to biography (2025 Election and repression allegations)
Hello,
I am proposing a sourced addition to the section regarding the October 2025 presidential election. This information is biographically significant (WP:BLP) and necessary for the article's neutrality (WP:NPOV), as it concerns major events under her administration reported by multiple reliable sources (WP:RS).
Here is the proposed text to be added to (or integrated into) the 2025 election section:
The October 2025 election, which consolidated Samia Suluhu Hassan's power with 97.66% of the vote, was marred by accusations of massive fraud and a severe repression of opposition protests. The African Union's observer mission stated the election "did not comply" with regional or international standards, citing irregularities and the internet shutdown.
Numerous human rights organizations accused her government of authorizing the use of live ammunition against civilians. The main opposition party, Chadema, claimed it had documented up to 1,000 people killed, labeling the acts as crimes against humanity. The government denied these claims; while President Hassan acknowledged deaths occurred, her government called the opposition's death toll "hugely exaggerated".
Thank you for reviewing this request.
Regards. Sidmanegda (talk) 14:59, 6 November 2025 (UTC)

Hello,
I have added the neutrality dispute tag because the current version of the article does not respect the neutral point of view principle.
The article presents a very positive view of the president, focused on her image as a reformer and the first female president, but it only partially reflects recent events and major controversies, particularly accusations of crimes against humanity under Mrs. Hassan's presidency (repression of the opposition, eviction of the Maasai from their ancestral lands, etc.).
Numerous reliable sources are reporting facts of political repression, violence, and arrests of opponents. By omitting these facts, the article becomes biased by omission.
There is a sharp contrast between the image she had at her debut and the very serious accusations of authoritarian drift leveled against her today. The article must reflect this contrast to be neutral.
I am opening this section so we can discuss how to integrate this sourced information.
Thank you.
--Sidmanegda (talk) 10:55, 9 November 2025 (UTC)

An update is definitely called for at this point; I wrote most of what's in this article back in 2023 during a drive to expand women's biographies. The key is to look for a neutral survey of sources and summarize what's written about her, making sure not to seek out specific aspects and go out of our way to get them included. A brief search of available sources from the last two years suggests that the authoritarianism is going to be covered pretty well.
Academic sources are going to carry the most weight, and I was able to find these from the last few years:
Magasi, Chacha (2024-11-30). "Assessing President Samia Suluhu Hassan's Leadership Impact on Tanzania's Socio-Economic Development: An Analysis of Strategic Initiatives and Policy Outcomes". Journal of Social Political Sciences. 5 (4): 301–319. doi:10.52166/jsps.v5i4.239. ISSN 2715-7539.
Tanzania arrests will raise fears of authoritarianism (Report). Oxford Analytica. 2024. doi:10.1108/OXAN-DB289350.
Paget, Dan; Kwayu, Aikande Clement (2025). "Tanzania's Autocratic Reform-Washing". Journal of Democracy. 36 (3): 78–91. doi:10.1353/jod.2025.a964566. ISSN 1086-3214.
Sovu, Ahmad Y. (2024). "Ujitokezaji wa mbinu za kibalagha katika hotuba za dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan" [The emergence of rhetorical techniques in the speeches of Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan]. MULIKA Journal (in Swahili). 43 (1): 66–83. ISSN 2546-2202.
Note that I haven't read these yet, so I don't know if they're predominantly opinion-based or if there's any other reason why they might be less useful. Once we've exhausted academic sources, then we can look at some of the higher-quality news sources like the AP. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 🛸 15:50, 9 November 2025 (UTC)
Thank you very much for your detailed response and for providing these recent academic sources. I completely agree with your approach: a neutral summary based on a balanced range of reliable references is exactly what we need to improve the article and maintain the principle of neutrality. Incorporating up-to-date academic analysis alongside well-sourced news reports will help ensure that the article presents a complete and fair picture of President Hassan’s leadership, including both her achievements and the serious concerns that have emerged. Thanks again for your commitment to quality and for sharing these resources. Sidmanegda (talk) 16:30, 9 November 2025 (UTC)
@Sidmanegda In the 2025 general election, it was not that the ruling CCM government directly banned the main opposition party, Chadema, from participating. Rather, Chadema refused to sign the electoral code of conduct form in April 2025. According to Tanzania’s electoral laws, failure to sign this form is interpreted as a formal withdrawal from the election race. Chadema justified their decision by demanding comprehensive electoral reforms, arguing that the existing laws and procedures do not allow for a free and fair contest. They stated that unless meaningful changes are made to the electoral framework, it would be better not to participate at all than to legitimize a process they viewed as biased and undemocratic. Nimeona ukieneza hii hata kule SWWP. Ni bora ujue siasa hizi zinaleta kuleta shida kwa sisi wahariri wa TZ. Muddyb (talk) 18:01, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
@Muddyb I believe there may be a misunderstanding regarding the scope of this article. This page is a biography of Samia Suluhu Hassan, not the primary venue for deep political analysis. I understand there is a dedicated article for that, namely the Tanzanian general election, 2025 article.
However, in the spirit of a comprehensive, encyclopedic biography, it is essential to note all significant, well-sourced aspects of her career (per Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View policy). A biography should not be a hagiography.
If the president is credibly accused in reliable sources of major actions — such as allegedly ordering protestors to be fired upon, followed by efforts to silence witnesses or conceal casualties during a wave of terror — this information is a critical part of her biographical record and must be included with due weight.
We would not expect the biography of a figure like Bashar al-Assad to omit major, well-sourced criticisms; the same encyclopedic standard must apply to this article.
(On a separate note, regarding any discussion of the Swahili Wikipedia: Let's not confuse the two different projects. I am well aware that information is controlled in Tanzania and that the ruling power wants to project a "hakuna matata" (no problem) image. I have seen that sw.wiki administrators lock political topics for security reasons, and I understand and respect their decision. It is a difficult situation in Tanzania with the current authoritarian drift. I will not be intervening on the Swahili Wikipedia again until that situation changes.)
Thank you for your work.
AMANI (Peace)
--Sidmanegda (talk) 18:40, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
@Sidmanegda Na unatokea wapi wewe? Umenishangaza! Muddyb (talk) 18:43, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
Ninatoka Ouagadougou nchini Burkina Faso, lakini nimekuwa shemeji yako kwa muda mrefu. Sidmanegda (talk) 19:03, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
@Sidmanegda Thank you, in law. I'm so much happy to know that you've married one of our own. Shemeji! Muddyb (talk) 03:13, 11 November 2025 (UTC)
@Sidmanegda I do not believe the sentence should be added to the lead "While she initially had a positive image as a reformer, this has degraded into that of a dictator." The dictator label is not discussed in the body of the article, and the earlier sentence "Despite initially claiming to be a reformist, Suluhu herself has engaged in increasing authoritarianism since she took power." already conveys the same information.
None of the sources explicitly label Hassan as "dictator" in their voice, including cited DW. Per wp:label, the label should be left out or be contextualized. Ca talk to me! 03:41, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
Hello @Ca,
Thank you for the clarification. Rereading the DW source, I see what you mean by "in their voice." You are correct that the article attributes the "dictator" label to "some users on social media" and doesn't use it as the journalist's own analysis.
My intention was to highlight the severe degradation of her public image, which I felt "authoritarianism" didn't fully capture.
However, you raise a valid policy point: this specific criticism (the 'dictator' label and associated comparisons) isn't yet discussed in the body of the article.
How about this approach as a way forward:
I will first add this information to the article's body (e.g., in the section on criticism of her presidency), citing the DW source and attributing the claim correctly (e.g., "Criticism on social media mounted, where, according to DW, some users labeled her a 'dictator' or referred to her as 'Idi Amin mama'...")
Once it is sourced and contextualized in the body, we can then re-evaluate whether the lead section needs adjustment to reflect this, or if the existing mention of "authoritarianism" is sufficient to summarize the point.
This would respect both WP:LABEL and the requirement for the lead to summarize the body. What do you think of that plan?
Best, Sidmanegda (talk) 10:20, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
Sure. Ca talk to me! 11:25, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
Comment - as Ca says above, the use of the label "dictator" is problematic here, particularly on a WP:BLP topic, and I have removed the line added today which apparently emanates from social media use of that term. Instead of applying not very well defined labels such as this to refer to the individual, we should be describing what sources say about her rule. I have therefore replaced the label dictator in the lede with a note that her rule is now viewed as authoritarian.  — Amakuru (talk) 14:41, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
Hello @Amakuru,  Thank you for your edit and your explanation. I agree that your change (using "authoritarian" in the lede) improves the article's quality and neutrality.  You are absolutely right that my previous addition was problematic per WP:BLP. The source, which only attributed the label to "social media use," is not a high-quality, reliable source for such a strong claim about a living person. Your revert was completely justified.  I just wanted to clarify one small point from your comment, regarding the phrase "not very well defined labels".  While I agree the term shouldn't be in the article based on the available sourcing, I would argue the label "dictator" is, in fact, very well-defined in political science. The problem isn't that the label is vague; it's that our sourcing for it was extremely weak.  Political science (per Britannica, for example) clearly defines a "dictator" as:"a single person who possesses absolute political power... [who maintains it] through the use of intimidation, terror, and the suppression of basic civil liberties."L'Académie Française defines it similarly as:"Chef d'État... qui jouit d'une autorité s'exerçant sans contrôle, ni opposition exprimée." (Head of state... who enjoys authority exercised without control or expressed opposition.)So, the issue was never the word itself, but the proof. We did not have sources of sufficient quality to apply this well-defined, but very strong, label.  I fully support the current consensus version using "authoritarian," which is well-supported by reliable sources. Of course, consensus can change. If, in the future, high-quality sources (academics, major NGOs, etc.) begin to widely apply that label themselves, we can and should revisit this discussion based on that new evidence.  Best,
Sidmanegda (talk) 18:19, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
Post Sciptum :
Finally and as an indication, in this article from the reputable French national daily Libération (https://www.liberation.fr/international/afrique/tanzanie-avec-samia-suluhu-hassan-le-nouveau-dictateur-du-pays-est-une-femme-20251102_D6XI6UKYSJEEBK226AQWPYY6PA/), the term « dictateur » is used in the headline: "Tanzania: With Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country's new dictator is a woman."  Sidmanegda (talk) 09:16, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
Hi @Sidmanegda: thanks for your comments above. While I agree that there are many individuals in history for whom the term dictator can be unambiguously used, and indeed our article Dictator has some images of the standard figures at the top, I'm not sure I agree that there's a single definition of it. Some might say that there needs to be a suspension of elections or the rule of law suspended to declare the ruler a dictator, for example. The term authoritarian seems to be easier to apply, with a lot of sources preferring to use that terminology over the stark label dictator. Cheers  — Amakuru (talk) 16:16, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

Hello,
It is extremely disappointing to observe repeated, frivolous renaming of the Samia Suluhu Hassan article—examples include “Samuya Suluhu Hassan”, “Rais Samuyaa Suluhu Hassan”, and even “Samia Suluhu Hassan.” (with a period). Such actions are not only petty and useless, but frankly beneath the standards of Wikipedia and its mission to provide accurate, accessible information to the public.
At a time when this page urgently requires critical updates to reflect credible, serious accusations—such as the ultra-violent repression of protests and grave allegations of crimes against humanity under Mrs Hassan’s presidency—this kind of disruptive renaming is a direct affront to both neutrality and the spirit of collaborative, evidence-driven knowledge. It serves only to undermine the reliability of this resource and makes a mockery of the hard work contributed by serious editors.
I strongly denounce these attempts at manipulation and urge the community to prioritize meaningful, well-sourced content updates instead of tolerating such mediocre and frankly shameful sabotage. Sidmanegda (talk) 16:36, 9 November 2025 (UTC)