Tanzania opposition leaders held, post-election protests foiled
Tanzania police have arrested the chairman of the main opposition party and several other opposition figures and sealed off areas where a demonstration was to begin over last week’s disputed elections.
The opposition has demanded a re-run of the October 28 vote, citing widespread irregularities, and called for peaceful protests on Monday against the outcome, which returned President John Magufuli to office with 84 percent of the vote.
Those arrested included Freeman Mbowe, chair of the Chadema opposition party; Godbless Lema,a former member of parliament; Isaya Mwita, a former mayor of Dar es Salaam; and Boniface Jacob, the former mayor of Ubungo municipality.
“We arrested four people including Freeman Mbowe last night and this morning we arrested three others,” said the Dar es Salaam police chief Lazaro Mambosasa.
“We arrested them in a meeting to organise the protests which we already banned. Some of these people travelled from upcountry to Dar es Salaam and are trying to use youths to take it to the streets.”
Mambosasa said those arrested had “admitted that they were organising criminal activities such as setting petrol stations, markets, vehicles and some government offices on fire.”
Mbowe, who was brutally assaulted in what he said was a politically-motivated attack in June, tweeted that his life was “in danger” on the eve of the election, accusing police of raiding his hotel.
Emmanuel Mvula, campaign manager with the ACT Wazalendo party, told The Associated Press news agency on Monday security forces were deployed in the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam, where the two main opposition parties planned to march to the national electoral commission. The arrests, and a heavy security presence, appeared to have deterred potential protesters, and demonstrations never took place.
A joint statement issued later by Chadema’s presidential candidate Tundu Lissu and ACT Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe said Mbowe and the other Chadema leaders now face “terrorism-related offenses, which mean that they will not be eligible for bail”.
Lissu and Kabwe added: “We believe that there have been attempts to arrest the two of us.” Scores of ACT Wazalendo members remain in custody in the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, they said.
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The statement called on other countries to condemn the Tanzanian government for its “tyrannical behaviour” and said protest efforts will continue.
US Ambassador Donald Wright said reported arrests were of “extreme concern”.