“Servants of Satan?” — Intelligence Briefing on President Samia’s Controversial Remarks and Their Implications for Tanzania’s Religious and Political Landscape

Ujasusi Blog’s Intelligence Desk | June 6, 2025 | 0215 BST
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On 5 June 2025, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan made a highly controversial speech at a fundraising event organised by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (KKKT) in Dar es Salaam. Though officially a charitable event aimed at supporting orphans, the occasion became a political flashpoint after the President condemned unnamed religious figures as “servants of Satan.”
Her comments, widely interpreted as a thinly veiled attack on outspoken Pentecostal leader Bishop Josephat Gwajima, have triggered intense national and international debate. This intelligence briefing provides a comprehensive analysis of the strategic context, rhetorical messaging, socio-political implications, and forecast scenarios arising from this event.