Tanzanian Police Arrest Over 500 Ahead of Opposition Rally
The Tanzanian police announced on Tuesday that they had detained more than 500 individuals, including prominent leaders of the opposition, as they prepared to attend a youth rally. This significant crackdown comes in a country where a pioneering female president had previously vowed to restore political freedoms.
According to Awadh J. Haji, the police commissioner for operations and training, a total of 520 individuals were arrested across the nation in advance of a rally scheduled for Monday in the southwestern city of Mbeya. In addition to the arrests, the police confiscated 25 vehicles that were transporting participants to the event and officials from various regions of the country.
The rally was arranged by the opposition Chadema party, which intended to commemorate International Youth Day. However, the police preemptively banned the gathering, alleging that party members had made statements indicating their intent to incite anti-government protests akin to those that have recently occurred in neighboring Kenya. Mr. Haji remarked, “Their goal is not to celebrate International Youth Day, but to initiate and commit violence to disrupt peace in the country.”
This latest wave of repression raises concerns for Tanzania, particularly given that President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the nation’s first female leader, had promised a more open political environment following her ascent to power in 2021. She had taken steps to reverse some of the stringent measures imposed by her populist predecessor, including lifting a long-standing ban on political rallies, easing press restrictions, and allowing pregnant girls to return to school.
Notably, Tanzania was one of three African nations visited by Vice President Kamala Harris last year, as part of her efforts to promote democratic governance and empower women across the continent.
