Intelligence Analysis: TPDF Captain's October 2025 Statement Calling for Military Action Against Tanzania Elections
Ujasusi Blog’s East Africa Monitoring Team | 05 October 2025 | 2200 BST
Classification: OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT
Report Date: 5 October 2025
Incident Date: 4 October 2025
Location: Tanzania (broadcast origin unknown)
Author: Ujasusi Blog East Africa Monitoring Team
Distribution: Public
📋 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On 5 October 2025, Captain John Charles Tesha, a serving Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) officer, delivered a public statement via livestream calling for military intervention to halt Tanzania’s scheduled 29 October 2025 general elections. This represents an unprecedented breach of military protocol in Tanzania’s post-independence history.
Verified Key Facts:
Subject: Captain John Charles Tesha, TPDF weapons instructor at Military Aviation School (SAK), Force Number P. 13353, Intake 58 (2014), promoted to Captain 25 July 2022
Date/Time: Statement livestreamed 4 October 2025 (Saturday), approximately 2+ hours duration, in Swahili
Immediate Response: TPDF Acting Director of Information and Public Relations Colonel Bernard Masala Mlunga issued a statement warning against attempts to involve the military in politics
Context: Tanzania’s general election is scheduled for 29 October 2025; the same date as planned nationwide demonstrations organised by US-based activist Mange Kimambi
CHADEMA Status: Main opposition party disqualified April 2025; leader Tundu Lissu arrested 9 April 2025, charged with treason
Historical Precedent: Multiple previous protest mobilisation calls in Tanzania have failed to achieve significant turnout
Intelligence Gaps:
Tesha’s current whereabouts are unknown
Whether the statement was coordinated with opposition or individual action remains unverified
Government enforcement actions against Tesha have not yet been publicly disclosed
The actual impact of the 29 October demonstration turnout cannot be predicted with the available data