The ACT Wazalendo opposition party in Tanzania has accused security forces of abducting Abdul Nondo, head of its youth wing, on Sunday. Nondo was reportedly taken at a bus station outside Dar es Salaam while returning from Kigoma in eastern Tanzania following local elections last Wednesday.
According to party representatives, Nondo had previously criticized law enforcement for allegedly staging illegal arrests by falsely claiming individuals were not Tanzanian citizens.
Mbarala Maharagande, the party’s deputy secretary for human rights, claimed Nondo was “kidnapped by three individuals believed to be police officers or security agents” using a white Land Cruiser. Police confirmed an incident involving Nondo’s forceful apprehension and announced an investigation.
The alleged abduction comes amid heightened tensions following local elections, where the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party secured a sweeping victory. Opposition groups, including ACT Wazalendo, have alleged electoral irregularities.
This case has drawn parallels to the (September killing of Chadema leader Ali Mohamed Kibao), found dead after being beaten and attacked with acid, raising concerns about the safety of opposition figures in Tanzania.
While President Samia Suluhu Hassan initially received praise for easing political restrictions, rights groups and Western governments have criticized what they perceive as a resurgence of repression, marked by arrests and violence targeting opposition members.