Tanzania’s opposition party Chadema informed that its leader along with other members of the party was arrested ahead of a planned conference demanding constitutional reforms.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Chadema party noted that Freeman Mbowe, the leader of the party, with 10 other party members, gathered in the northwestern port city of Mwanza.
It asserted, “We condemn the repression of the rights of Tanzanians with the strongest force. These are signs that the dictatorship that existed during the rule of President John Magufuli continues. “The party further disclosed that Freeman Mbowe was accosted by an army of police officers in his hotel as he arrived at 2:30 am and was arrested together with the other leaders.
As per reports, the arrested party members were taken to the Mwanza police station. However, there is no information about Mbowe.
Chadema demanded, “We want the police to come out and say where the chairman is and why he was arrested.” As yet, the police did not comment about the matter.
The arrest of the opposition party leader follows four months after Tanzania’s first female President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in March. She took the office after the sudden death of Magufuli, her predecessor.
After Magufuli’s death, there were hopes that Hassan would bring a change from the ‘autocratic rule’ of her predecessor. Magufuli was nicknamed as ‘Bulldozer’ considering his uncompromising style of leadership.
Following the incident, Chadema’s former presidential candidate, Tundu Lissu stated, “hope that Magufuli’s reign of terror and war on democracy would end. Last night’s arrest of chairman Mbowe and Chadema leaders has dashed any such hopes. It’s now time for any nationwide protests and international isolation of her regime”.
The arrest took place after Mbowe pledged to hold a meeting on constitutional reforms even though the Mwanza provincial authorities banned public gatherings in view of the COVID 19 pandemic.
According to ALJAZEERA Mbowe in a video shared through Twitter claimed, “We cannot continue with the old order.” He added, “We have the right to meet but are arrested, beaten, accused, and taken to court for two or three years and then freed.”
He further voiced, “If they want to arrest all members of the Chadema party, let them first expand the jail because we are all ready to be arrested and will not request for bail.”
In April this year, President Hassan assured the opposition to defend democracy and basic freedoms in the country.
Earlier, in November 2020, Mbowe and several other top opposition leaders were briefly detained after they called for a mass protest against what they charged was a rigged election that returned Magufuli to power for the second term.
Authorities stated that Magufuli died from a heart condition. However, the political opponents claimed that he had contracted the COVID 19 infection.
