Tanzania’s Opposition Leaders Arrested as Authorities Crack Down on Planned Protest
Tanzania’s leading opposition figures were detained on Monday, according to their party, as authorities sought to prevent a large protest in Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
Despite an official prohibition, the Chadema party had committed to proceeding with the rally, which was focused on allegations of kidnapping and murder involving its members by security forces.
Chadema reported that its chairman, Freeman Mbowe, and deputy, Tundu Lissu, were both arrested on Monday. Riot police were deployed throughout key areas in the city to deter gatherings.
“Demonstration is our constitutional right, and we are astonished by the level of force used by the police to intimidate citizens and curtail our freedoms,” Mbowe stated to supporters before his arrest, as shown in a video released by the party.
The party claims that President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration is reverting to the oppressive methods of her predecessor, John Magufuli.
Hassan assumed office following Magufuli’s unexpected death in March 2021 and initially indicated a more progressive stance by lifting restrictions on opposition gatherings and media.
However, Chadema contends that security forces are responsible for the recent disappearances of several party members, including the recent murder of Ali Mohamed Kibao, a member of its national secretariat.
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In August, police also disrupted a youth day rally organized by Chadema, resulting in the arrest of numerous party leaders, including Mbowe and Lissu.
Human rights organizations and Western governments, including the U.S., have expressed concerns over the resurgence of repression in the lead-up to local elections in November and a general election scheduled for late 2025.
Lissu, a prominent opposition figure, has faced numerous arrests and survived multiple gunshot wounds from an assassination attempt in 2017.
He returned to Tanzania last year after Hassan lifted the ban on opposition protests.
Authorities had claimed that the Chadema protests could incite violence.
Yet, in a speech shared on X on Sunday, Mbowe stated, “I remind Tanzanians that we will conduct peaceful protests. We are not armed and have no intention of disrupting the peace, contrary to some claims.
“If any of us are arrested, injured, or even killed, please pray for us and do not lose hope. We are striving to make our country a more peaceful place,” he added.
Tanzania’s Opposition Leaders Arrested as Authorities Crack Down on Planned Protest
