It is an unusual moment for Tanzanians, who can't commemorate the country's Independence Day on December 9 after the government canceled the celebrations.

Citizens were warned against coming out to protest after the opposition and activists called for demonstrations.

"Those protests are not permitted and are unlawful ... that is not a protest, that is a coup," Home Affairs Minister George Simbachawene told the media in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. "Our security organs will handle them."

There and in other cities, many streets have been deserted after police and soldiers were deployed in full force on Tuesday.

The government has justified the move, saying it didn't want a repeat of the post-election unrest of October, in which thousands of protesters were killed. 

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Tanzanian authorities to respect the fundamental rights of citizens ahead of the planned demonstrations.

It had called for the lifting of the nationwide ban on protests and warned against the use of excessive force.

"Security forces must allow Tanzanians to exercise their rights to peaceful assembly and expression and refrain from using force to disperse non-violent gatherings," a spokesperson for the UN office, Seif Magango, said in a statement on Friday.

But the government said allowing the protests would amount to a coup attempt. On Monday, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba posted a video on X, urging people to stay home.

"The government advises all citizens who will not have an emergency on December 9 to use the day for rest and celebrate it at home, except for those whose work duties require them to be at their work stations," he said.

Is the government intimidating citizens?

Some activists say the Tanzanian government, led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is isolating itself from other democratic nations by intimidating its own citizens.

"We do not understand why the Tanzanian state, the government, has not realized that the world is against them. And the best thing to do is to retreat and listen to Tanzanians," Kivutha Kibwana, an academic and human rights defender based in Nairobi, told journalists.

Kibwana also described the move as unusual and absurd. "I can't remember any country in Africa that has canceled its Independence Day celebration."

Last week, the Tanzanian police said they were arresting people who commit "online offenses" as they closely monitor social media calls for protests.

Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the government is fueling an atmosphere of fear among citizens.

"The Tanzanian government is building on the alarming climate of fear that prevailed prior to the elections to deter further protests," Nyeko said. "The authorities should end their crackdown and respect the right of Tanzanians to peacefully express their views."

The United States said last week that it was also reviewing its relationship with Tanzania over concerns about violence against civilians, something President Suluhu Hassan has denounced.

Nyeko said Tanzanian authorities must not ignore calls to ensure justice and accountability. "It's vitally important at this critical time for the Tanzanian authorities to focus on ensuring justice and accountability for the many serious rights violations following the elections," he said.

"Anything short of this will be a disservice to the many victims and to all Tanzanians' fundamental rights."

Bob Njagi, from the Free Kenyan Movement, told reporters that Tanzanians need help from other Africans to be liberated from the current government.

"We are also calling on all Africans across Africa and global citizens to visit Tanzanian embassies worldwide in order to put pressure on the Tanzanian government," he said.

Edited by: Chrispin Mwakideu