The main opposition party in Tanzania has been prohibited by the police from organising a demonstration against the killings and abductions of its members, as announced on Friday.
The Chadema party had scheduled a large gathering in Dar es Salaam on September 23 to demand an inquiry into recent disappearances and the return of missing members, whether alive or deceased.
However, police spokesperson David Misime informed the media that “the Chadema protests are prohibited” and cautioned the party that “the police will take action against anyone who defies this directive.”
Following the sudden death of authoritarian leader John Magufuli in March 2021, hopes were high for a new era of democratic freedom under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
President Hassan had lifted the ban on opposition assemblies and relaxed media restrictions, but human rights organizations have raised concerns about recent indications of a tougher stance.
In August, approximately 520 Chadema leaders and supporters were detained across the nation before a planned rally to commemorate International Youth Day. However, key figures were released on bail the next day.
Chadema alleges that the authorities are involved in “killings and abductions,” including the case of Ali Mohamed Kibao, a member of its national secretariat, who was found killed over the weekend after being assaulted and doused with acid, according to party leader Freeman Mbowe.
“We have decided to protest to safeguard our lives and our nation,” Mbowe stated on Wednesday.
The Tanganyika Law Society reported last month that 83 individuals were either abducted or went missing between 2016 and 2024.
The US embassy in Tanzania has urged the authorities to conduct an “independent, transparent, and prompt investigation” into Kibao’s death.