Tanzania main opposition party leader detained in Dar es Salaam

MWANZA, Tanzania

Tanzanian main opposition party leader, Freeman Mbowe is being held at the Central Police Station in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam, his party CHADEMA says.

CHADEMA said this came after a search at his house in the city by the police who confiscated his laptop, internet modem and his children’s tablets.

Until Wednesday, Mbowe’s whereabouts were unknown following his arrest alongside 11 other members of the party in a hotel in Mwanza – in north-west Tanzania, early morning on Wednesday.

The other officials were then taken to the Mwanza Central Police Station.

According to local media in the East African nation, police confirmed the arrest on suspicion of inciting “unauthorised assembly”.

Mwanza Regional Police Commnader, Ramadhan Ng’anzi confirmed holding Mbowe for further questioning.

He said Mbowe was arrested Wednesday July 21 morning at the Kingdom Hotel in Ghana Street.

"After we arrested him, Dar es Salaam Special zone police told us that they were also looking for him for other crimes he is alleged to have committed there; therefore, we transported him to Dar es Salaam where he is being interrogated," said Ng'anzi.

Their arrests came just a few hours before the start of a constitutional conference they were due to hold in the town.

Mwanza Regional Police
Commnader, Ramadhan Ng’anzi 

Some human rights organisations have criticised the arrest of the opposition leaders.

Legal and Human Rights Centre and Amnesty International say the arrests are meant to narrow the political space that the opposition is operating in according to the country’s constitution and laws.

Amnesty said the arrests “clearly indicate how Tanzanian authorities disregard the rule of law, human rights, including the rights of freedom and expression”

Tanzania’s repression of the media, human rights defenders, and opposition parties has intensified since 2015 under former president, John Magufuli who died in March this year and the situation has not changed under the current President Samia Hassan who is following all policies of her predecessor.

The opposition political parties are not allowed to conduct public rallies, in-door meetings or peaceful demonstrations; only the ruling party is free to exercise political rights in the country.