Tanzanian police arrested several top opposition leaders Monday as the country’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, pushed forward with protests despite a government ban. The arrests come amid growing concerns over a crackdown on political dissent in the run-up to the 2025 general elections.
CHADEMA’s chairman, Freeman Mbowe, and his deputy, Tundu Lissu, were among the party officials detained across different locations, according to a statement from the party. CHADEMA maintains that the protests were constitutionally protected and that authorities had been properly notified in advance.
Last month, hundreds of the party’s supporters were arrested, and Ali Kibao, a secretariat member of CHADEMA, was found dead with signs of torture, sparking widespread outrage. Amnesty International condemned the arbitrary detentions and called for an end to the targeting of political opposition in Tanzania.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took office following the death of her predecessor John Magufuli in 2021, had lifted the previous ban on opposition rallies. However, the recent killing of Kibao has cast a shadow over her administration, which is facing increasing pressure to address human rights concerns.
Tanzania’s next general election is scheduled for 2025, with the opposition under renewed scrutiny amid a tense political atmosphere.
