Leading opposition Chadema party figure Tundu Lissu and other leaders have been taken into custody by Tanzanian police, according to a Chadema spokesperson.
According to a late Sunday post on X by Chadema’s head of communications and foreign relations, John Mrema, they were taken into custody in the southwest city of Mbeya, where the party was scheduled to stage a rally on Monday in observance of International Youth Day.
The Chadema youth group was to be banned, according to police, who said the group was organizing violent protests. The youth wing had said that 10,000 young people were anticipated to gather in Mbeya under the theme “Take charge of your future” in honor of International Youth Day.
Leader of Chadema Freeman Mbowe declared that he “strongly” disagreed with the arrests.
“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all our leaders, members, and supporters who were arrested in various parts of the country,” he stated on X.
“The party is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to inform the public of every development step by step.”
On Sunday, representatives of Chadema condemned the police ban and urged President Samia Suluhu Hassan to step in.