CHADEMA members are now free following arrests associated with a youth gathering

On Tuesday, multiple leaders from Tanzania’s primary opposition party, CHADEMA, were released, along with hundreds of their supporters, following mass arrests that occurred as a result of a prohibited youth gathering in the southwestern region of the country. This occurred as reported by both police and a party representative.

Authorities apprehended over 500 adherents of CHADEMA, including the party’s Chairman Freeman Mbowe and Vice Chairman Tundu Lissu, on Sunday and Monday.

Human rights organizations have condemned the arrests, with Amnesty International asserting that they are designed to intimidate the opposition in advance of the local government elections scheduled for later this year and the national election set for 2025.

The youth wing of CHADEMA was scheduled to hold a gathering in the city of Mbeya on Monday. However, authorities have prohibited the event due to concerns that it could potentially “disturb the peace.”

Late on Monday, Police Commissioner Awadh Haji declared, “We will not permit a small number of criminals to undermine peace by imitating the unrest in neighboring countries.” This statement is likely a reference to the recent youth-led protests in Kenya, which have sparked similar demonstrations in Nigeria and Uganda.

In addition, John Mrema, the spokesperson for CHADEMA, confirmed that the senior leadership of the party has been released. However, he also mentioned that there are reports that suggest that certain adherents from the youth wing in Mbeya are still in custody.

Individuals who were protesting the Kenyan government’s intention to increase taxes organized themselves online and demonstrated in numerous locations across the country in June. This momentarily disrupted the parliament and caused regional administrations to be concerned about the possibility of similar demonstrations.

The proposed legislation was annulled by President William Ruto of Kenya, and his cabinet was reorganized. Nevertheless, the demonstrations have continued, albeit with a decrease in attendance.

On Monday, Sarah Jackson, the deputy regional director for East and Southern Africa at Amnesty International, released a statement in which she urged Tanzanian authorities to “cease the intensifying suppression of civic freedoms and to cease the arbitrary arrests and detentions of political opposition figures.”

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has implemented specific measures to alleviate media and opposition restrictions since taking office in 2021. Nevertheless, human rights advocates maintain that arbitrary detentions continue to occur.