Joseph Isangura
The Chairman of the Democratic Change Party, CHADEMA Freeman Mbowe and Tundu Lissu, the party’s Vice Chairman, were both arrested on Monday, September 23, 2024, in separate incidents as tensions surrounding planned protests reached a boiling point.
Mbowe was taken into custody by police at the Magomeni area in Dar es Salaam, just hours before a protest organized by his party was set to take place. The demonstration was scheduled to denounce the recent wave of abductions and killings, including that of the party’s cadre, Ali Kibao. Prior to his arrest, Mbowe addressed the press, expressing the party’s determination to continue with the protest despite a police ban issued earlier. The Tanzanian Police Force, through spokesperson David Misime, had prohibited the protests, citing concerns over public safety and security.
Mbowe emphasized that the planned demonstration aimed to push for accountability and action from the government. Among the demands was the resignation of the Minister of Home Affairs, Hamad Masauni, and other senior security officials, as well as the return of several party members who have gone missing in recent months, including Deusdetith Soka, Dioniz Kipanya, Jacob Mlay, and Mbwana Kombo.
Simultaneously, police arrested Vice Chairman Tundu Lissu at his residence in Tegeta, Dar Es Salaam, early Monday morning. Lissu, a prominent figure in Tanzania’s opposition, had alerted his supporters via his X (formerly Twitter) account about the police presence outside his home. He reported that three police vehicles were stationed outside and that he had been informed of his imminent arrest. Shortly after, Lissu was taken into custody by a convoy of 11 police vehicles, according to a statement released by the Democratic Change Party.
Lissu’s arrest, like Mbowe’s, comes amid heightened tensions between the opposition and the government over planned demonstrations. Just days earlier, on September 13, the police had issued a warning against the protests scheduled for September 23, cautioning that any participants would face legal consequences.
Both arrests have intensified concerns among human rights organizations, political observers, and citizens, who fear these actions are part of a broader crackdown on dissent and democratic freedoms. Lissu, who survived a near-fatal assassination attempt in 2017, has remained a vocal advocate for democratic reform and transparency in Tanzania.
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As the police maintain a heavy presence in key areas of Dar Es Salaam, including Magomeni, Mwenge, Ubungo, and Kinondoni, armored vehicles and officers equipped with riot gear underscore the government’s determination to prevent any form of public demonstration.
The Democratic Change Party has called on the international community to monitor the unfolding situation in Tanzania and urged the government to uphold democratic principles, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. At the time of this report, neither the police nor government officials have released formal statements regarding the arrests of Mbowe and Lissu or their current whereabouts.
