‘Abducted’ Tanzania Opposition Figure Found Dead After Brutal Acid Attack
A Tanzanian opposition party member from Chadema has been discovered dead after being abducted, assaulted, and attacked with acid, according to the party’s leader, Freeman Mbowe.
Ali Mohamed Kibao, a national secretariat member of Chadema, was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint on Friday by suspected security operatives while traveling from Dar es Salaam to Tanga. His body was later found in Dar es Salaam’s Ununio waterfront on Saturday night.
This incident occurred shortly after a mass detention involving Mbowe, his deputy Tundu Lissu, and other party leaders, ahead of a scheduled youth party event.
Postmortem results, witnessed by Chadema lawyers, confirmed that Kibao was brutally beaten and had acid poured on his face, according to Mbowe.
He emphasized the rising threats to the lives of Chadema members, adding that several party officials had disappeared.
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Kibao, a former military intelligence officer, had previously worked with both the opposition and the ruling CCM party before joining Chadema, although no specific timeline was provided.
While authorities have yet to make a formal statement regarding Kibao’s death, police spokesperson David Misime confirmed an investigation had begun into the abduction.
Human rights organizations and opposition figures have expressed concerns over a potential resurgence of repressive policies reminiscent of former President John Magufuli’s era.
Despite President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s pledge to revive “competitive politics” and relax restrictions on the opposition, including lifting a six-year ban on opposition activities, the recent arrests are seen as a troubling sign ahead of the local elections in December 2024 and the general elections set for next year.
Mbowe himself faced arrest in 2021 before being released in March 2022 after terrorism charges against him were dropped.
Lissu, who survived a 2017 assassination attempt, has also faced multiple arrests and returned to Tanzania in 2023 following the lifting of the ban on opposition activities.
‘Abducted’ Tanzania Opposition Figure Found Dead After Brutal Acid Attack
