Written by
Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Tanzania. On 2nd September 2021, Tanzanian police arrested several members of the country’s main opposition Chadema party who were pushing for constitutional reform.
This followed the detention of Chadema leader Freeman Mbowe on terrorism charges that his party have branded a bid by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government to muzzle the opposition, News 24 reported.
Spark of arrests
During the latest the crackdown police detained nine members of Chadema party plus raiding the party’s offices in the northern lakeside town of Musoma to block a planned symposium by the youth wing on constitutional change.
Opposition members strongly condemning this blantant violation of constitutional and rule of law, which they say is sowing the seeds of hatred, discrimination and discord within communities.
The then Samia
President Samia Suluhu Hassan embarked on her Journey as the six President of Tanzania in March 2021, after the death of John Pombe Magufuli who died due to heart conditions, beginning her tenure by departing from Magufuli’s undemocratic style.
The soft-spoken President Hassan, during her first days as the president of Tanzania created a sense of optimism, not just through her calls for reconciliation and national unity but her candour. She also released dissidents, spoke against suppressing media freedom and pledged to meet the opposition.
The now Samia
President Samia’s leadership is under scrutiny over her handling of demands led by opposition leaders for a new constitutional reform.
59 year old Freeman Mbowe the main opposition leader of Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo party (Chadema) has been behind bars since his arrest by Samia’s government on 21 July 2021, as he prepared to address a constitutional forum arranged by his party, and was later charged with terrorism acts.
And recently also nine members of his party were also detained by the same government, which the opposition says shows that President Hassan is continuing the oppressive rule of her predecessor Magufuli.
The continued harassment of the opposition, arbitrary arrest and trumped up charges are a reminder of the inadequacies of the current constitution and the need for constitutional reforms.
