WASHINGTON — The United States has imposed sanctions on senior Tanzanian police official Faustine Jackson Mafwele over alleged human rights violations, barring him from entering the U.S. amid growing international concern over Tanzania’s post-election crackdown.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation on Thursday, saying Washington had “credible information” linking Mafwele to gross violations of human rights. The State Department identified him as a Senior Assistant Commissioner in the Tanzanian Police Force and said the action was taken under a U.S. law that allows visa restrictions against foreign officials implicated in serious abuses.
The allegations relate in part to the detention, torture and sexual assault of Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire and Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi in May 2025. The two had travelled to Tanzania to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, a prominent critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government.
The sanctions come after Tanzania’s disputed October election, in which President Hassan secured 97 percent of the vote following a crackdown on opposition figures. Rights groups and foreign governments have raised concerns over arrests, restrictions on political activity, internet disruptions and alleged abuses by security forces.
A commission established by Hassan to investigate post-election violence said 518 people were killed and thousands more injured, though opposition groups have suggested the true toll may be higher. The commission urged further investigation into police conduct, including allegations that officers shot unarmed civilians during unrest.
The U.S. move signals a sharper stance toward Dar es Salaam. Rubio had said in December that Washington was reviewing relations with Tanzania over repression and election-related violence. The latest designation suggests the Trump administration is willing to target individual officials accused of abuses, even as broader diplomatic ties remain under review.
Tanzanian authorities have previously defended security operations as necessary to maintain order and protect public safety. The government has not immediately issued a detailed response to the new U.S. sanctions.
The case is likely to increase pressure on Tanzania to address allegations of police brutality and political repression. It also places renewed attention on the treatment of opposition leaders, activists and foreign observers.
For Washington, the sanction is being presented as an accountability measure. For Tanzania, it adds to mounting scrutiny over whether the government can restore political trust after months of unrest and allegations of state violence.
