Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu arrested at rally, his party says

MBINGA, TANZANIA — Prominent Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu was apprehended by law enforcement on Wednesday, according to his political party, following his attendance at a public rally in the southern region of the country.

The opposition Chadema party communicated via X (formerly Twitter) that Lissu, who serves as its chairman, “has been arrested along with other members” and taken into custody subsequent to a rally held in Mbinga, a town situated within the southern Ruvuma Region.

In a brief statement, the party indicated that it was actively monitoring the situation. However, the location to which the arrested individuals had been taken remained unclear.

Chadema further reported that police were “dispersing citizens at the venue using tear gas.” In a subsequent post on X, the party issued a direct appeal to the police, urging them to “release our leaders immediately and without any conditions.”

Lissu assumed the chairmanship of Chadema in January, succeeding the party’s long-standing leader, Freeman Mbowe.

Prior to this latest incident, Lissu was detained in November leading up to local elections, which ultimately resulted in an overwhelming victory for the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

Chadema contested the legitimacy of those elections, alleging manipulation, with Mbowe stating that “the results were not credible at all.” The party has announced its intention to petition the High Court to advocate for electoral reforms in advance of the national election scheduled for later this year.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who ascended to the presidency from the vice presidency in 2021, initially garnered praise for relaxing restrictions imposed on the opposition and the media by her predecessor, John Magufuli, in the nation of approximately 67 million people.

However, human rights organizations and Western governments have voiced concerns over what they perceive as a resurgence of repression, citing the arrests of Chadema politicians alongside reports of abductions and killings of opposition figures.