Tundu Lissu is one of Tanzania’s leading Chadema figures arrested in the crackdown
Tanzanian police have arrested prominent politician Tundu Lissu and two other Chadema opposition officials, the party said.
The three were reportedly arrested on Sunday in the southwestern town of Mbeya, on the eve of their planned protest to mark World Youth Day.
The reported arrests come a year after President Samia Hassan lifted a ban on opposition gatherings and promised to restore competitive politics.
On Sunday, police banned a protest in Chadema, saying it was intended to provoke violence.
They cited the party’s call for people to come together as “youths in Kenya” – an apparent reference to weeks of bloody anti-government protests in the neighbouring East African country.
On Monday morning, a Chadema official told the BBC that they did not know where the arrested leaders were being held.
Police have not officially commented on the arrest. The BBC has contacted them for comment.
Chadema spokesman John Mrema said groups of youths travelling on chartered buses were detained and forced to return to their areas under armed escort.
According to the party’s youth wing, about 10,000 youths gathered in Mbeya to celebrate youth day with the slogan “Seize your future”.
But the police said in a statement that no such meeting will be allowed to take place in the city or anywhere else in the country.
Chadema officials shared images of a large group of about 100 party members who they said were detained in Iringa, a town near Mbeya. They were later released and escorted back to their destination.
Chadema condemned the arrests, with party president Freeman Mbowe demanding in a post on X “the immediate and unconditional release of our leaders, members and supporters arrested across the country”.
Mr Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 after being shot 16 times, returned to Tanzania last year after two years in exile in Belgium.
He returned after President Samia lifted a ban on political protests imposed by former President John Magufuli in 2016.
The ban prohibits political parties from holding rallies and even engaging in internal political activities.
Ms Samia, who took power in 2021 after the sudden death of Mr Magufuli, has been praised for abandoning many of her predecessor’s policies.
But after her arrest, some opposition politicians criticized her, saying she was not ready for political reconciliation.
Tanzania is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections late next year.
Additional reporting by Basillioh Rukanga
