written by
Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Tanzania. Tanzania’s main opposition leader for Democracy and Progress party also known as CHADEMA, Freeman Mbowe and others were arrested on Wednesday before he was scheduled to speak at a conference to announce demands for constitutional reforms.
Mbowe and 11 other members were rounded up in the night in the northwestern port city of Mwanza, but the Chadema secretary general John Mnyika told journalists that Mbowe’s whereabouts are unknown since he was arrested, even though the others were taken to the central police station. “We see this as a kidnapping,” he said
Politicians, journalists and activists cracking down was common under former President John Magufuli’s administration, and many Tanzanians expected them to end during the current regime of the first female president of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan who has been in power for only four months.
Who is Mbowe?
Freeman Mbowe is a long serving politician who was nominated to represent Chadema as their presidential candidate for the 2005 presidential elections. Currently, he is the leader of opposition in parliament after his party Chadema won a significant majority in the opposition camp in parliament.
Mbowe is one of the founders of Chadema since 1992, and he is a good strategist which makes him currently one of the main strategists of his political party.
Background of arrest
The 12 members of the opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo in Swahili) Chadema were arrested at 20.30am on 21 July 2021 by Tanzanian police from their hotel rooms in Mwanza.
This happened hours before a planned conference demanding a new constitution for the country, which had been organised by the opposition party.
On 20 July, Mwanza’s Regional commissioner Robert Gabriel banned all forms of gatherings and funerals, stating that anyone intending to assemble must get clearance from his office.
According to the party’s Protocol, Communications and Foreign Affairs director, John Mrema, the 11 detained at Central Police Station, have not been charged with any criminal offence.
The statement from Chadema Communication Director John Mrema shared on Twitter says: “The party condemns the repression of the rights of Tanzanians with the strongest force, These are signs that the dictatorship that existed during the rule of President John Magufuli continues”.
The deputy chairperson of Chadema, Tundu Lissu, pleaded for action in support of the county’s civil society. “Calling for political reforms is no breach of any law,” Lissu said.
Also the Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great lakes Region Flavia Mwangowa. said: Tanzanian authorities must stop escalating and cracking down on opposition parties and leaders. Unless the authorities have clear legal grounds to justify these arrests, all of those arrested in this swoop must be immediately released.
She added that Tanzania police Force must also account for the whereabouts of Freeman Mbowe, who at present is unaccounted for, and ensure his security and safe return.
