Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, has accused the government of orchestrating a systematic crackdown on dissenting voices ahead of the October 29 general election.
The party’s deputy chairperson, John Heche, was arrested on Wednesday outside the High Court in Dar es Salaam, where he had gone to attend the ongoing treason trial of party leader Tundu Lissu, detained since April and facing possible death penalty charges.
Chadema’s Secretary General, John Mnyika, confirmed the arrest, accusing security agencies of a coordinated effort to detain key opposition figures until after the election. “We have not been informed of the reasons for his arrest,” Mnyika said, alleging that the detention was part of a broader plan to silence the opposition.
Heche’s arrest came days after officers confiscated his passport at the Kenyan border, where he had attempted to attend the funeral of politician Raila Odinga. The immigration department later claimed he tried to cross illegally an accusation Chadema has strongly denied.
The party says Heche has since been transferred to Tarime, more than 1,300 kilometres away from the capital, calling the move politically motivated.
Amnesty International has also raised alarm over increasing rights violations, including abductions of opposition members and the shrinking of civic space. The latest incident follows the disappearance of former ambassador and government critic Humphrey Polepole, allegedly abducted from his home earlier this month.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who succeeded the late John Magufuli in 2021 and is now seeking a second term under the ruling CCM, faces growing criticism for reversing early reforms and tightening restrictions on political activity.
With Chadema barred from contesting the upcoming election and Lissu still in custody, Tanzania’s opposition warns that the country’s democratic space has reached its lowest point in years. The disqualification of ACT-Wazalendo’s candidate, Luhaga Mpina, leaves only minor contenders in the race, heightening fears of a one-sided vote.
Erizia Rubyjeana
