Tanzanian police arrested opposition leader Tundu Lissu and several other Chadema party officials in the southwestern city of Mbeya on Sunday, August 11, 2024.
The arrests occurred just ahead of a planned rally to commemorate International Youth Day on August 12, 2024.
Chadema’s Director of Communications and Foreign Affairs, John Mrema, confirmed the arrests on social media platform X, stating that the opposition leaders were detained after police imposed a ban on the youth gathering.
Authorities alleged that the event, which was expected to draw around 10,000 young people under the slogan “Take charge of your future,” could lead to violent demonstrations.
Reports from Chadema indicate that the detained leaders were subjected to severe beatings by police before being taken to an undisclosed location.
Freeman Mbowe, a prominent Chadema leader, condemned the arrests, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all detained party members.
He pledged that the party would continue to update the public on the situation as it unfolds.
Tundu Lissu, a prominent critic of the government and a declared candidate for the 2025 presidential elections, has been at the center of recent political tensions in Tanzania.
