Chadema
Tanzania is facing rising political unrest after disputed elections, with police arresting opposition leaders and charging dozens with treason. Human rights groups report mass detentions and killings as regional and international bodies call for accountability and respect for human rights.
Tanzania’s political tension deepened over the weekend as police intensified a crackdown on opposition leaders and protesters, arresting several members of the main opposition party, Chadema. The latest to be detained is the party’s Deputy Secretary General, Amani Golugwa, bringing to three the number of senior party officials now in custody.
The arrests come after a week of violent clashes between protesters and police following the disputed general election. According to local reports, at least 22 people were arraigned on Friday facing treason charges, while hundreds remain detained across the country.
Chadema confirmed Golugwa’s arrest in a statement, describing it as part of a pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent. His detention follows that of other top party officials earlier in the week. Police have not issued any formal statement about the reasons for his arrest.
Citizen TV Kenya reported that 22 suspects appeared before court on Friday on various counts, including treason and conspiracy to commit a crime. Among those charged is a well-known social media influencer identified as “Jennifer,” accused of encouraging citizens to buy face masks to protect themselves from teargas during the election protests.
Her lawyer, Peter Kabatala, said the charges were unjustified. “The charges came after she advised people to buy face masks to protect themselves from teargas during the elections, so her advice was taken as incitement,” Kabatala said.
The arrests have drawn regional concern. The Pentecostal Voice of Kenya (PVK), a faith-based organisation, condemned what it called “killings and brutality” in Tanzania and urged the Kenyan government to intervene diplomatically to protect its citizens caught up in the unrest.
PVK chairman Peter Manyuru said: “We condemn the killings and brutality witnessed in Tanzania.” He added that the organisation was calling on Nairobi to “initiate diplomatic engagements to save Kenyans caught in the crossfire in the neighbouring country.”
PVK secretary general Habil Olembo called for respect for human rights. “We also call upon the government of foreign nationals, particularly East African neighbours, to respect the basic rights and freedoms of Kenyans in their country in adherence to UN and regional human rights conventions and protocols,” Olembo said.
Human rights organisations have accused Tanzanian authorities of using excessive force to quell the protests. Reports from several independent groups indicate that more than 1,000 people have died since the unrest began, though the government disputes this figure. One regional news agency reported that 145 people have been charged with treason so far, while many remain missing.
Tanzania has been in turmoil since the 2025 general elections, which opposition groups say were rigged in favour of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with 97.66 percent of the vote, a result that sparked widespread protests and allegations of vote manipulation.
Observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and local human rights groups reported widespread irregularities, including voter intimidation and the restriction of independent monitors. The European Union and European Parliament criticised the elections, describing them as neither free nor fair.
“The scale of the victory has raised serious concerns about the credibility of the process,” one SADC observer said.
Before the election, political tensions were already high. The Tanganyika Law Society reported at least 83 cases of abduction since President Hassan took office in 2021. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu remains on trial for treason, a charge international observers say reflects the erosion of judicial independence in the country.
Civil society groups fear that Tanzania is slipping further into authoritarianism as security forces continue to detain opposition leaders, journalists, and activists. Several families are still searching for missing relatives believed to have been taken by security agencies during or after the election protests.
A political commentator from a neighbouring country told South African Daily that the crisis exposes the limits of regional intervention. “Most African leaders do not recognise the elections, but the African Union, which has members who are dictators, is not going to do anything about this,” he said. “The CCM party has been ruling since independence. They are taking advantage. They want to make the country a police state.”
As the crackdown continues, Tanzania faces growing isolation from international partners who have called for restraint and respect for human rights. With opposition leaders facing treason charges and dozens of activists missing, the situation remains tense, and fears of further unrest are spreading across the East African region.
