Chadema Leaders Arrested: Tundu Lissu, John Heche

(The Post News) – Just days before Tanzania’s national elections, authorities arrested prominent opposition figure Tundu Lissu.

Police detained Lissu, a senior Chadema leader, along with four other officials in the southwestern town of Mbeya, where they had planned a World Youth Day rally.

Police also detained his deputy president, John Heche, as he tried to attend the treason trial of the party leader. He was then forcibly transferred to Tarime, a town more than 1,300 km away, to face undisclosed charges, according to The Chanzo and Nation Africa.

This was his second arrest in a week; police had earlier detained him as he tried to cross into Kenya to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga

In a statement, Chadema alleges that the arrests are part of a coordinated effort to detain senior party leaders until after the October 29 election. “This is a deliberate attempt to paralyse our campaign and intimidate voters,” a party spokesperson said.

The government has ignored these accusations, and police have refused to comment on the charges against Heche.

Chadema Rally Banned

According to BBC News Africa, police banned the Chadema rally, claiming it was intended to incite violence. This comes despite President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s earlier pledge to restore competitive politics, including lifting a ban on opposition gatherings in 2023.

Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 after being shot 16 times, has long been a vocal critic of government corruption and authoritarianism. His arrest is seen by many as a setback to the democratic reforms promised under Hassan’s administration.

The timing of the arrests, just ahead of the 2025 general elections, has raised suspicions about political interference.

Chadema officials argue that the detentions are part of a broader strategy to intimidate opposition supporters and stifle campaign momentum.

“This is a clear attempt to silence voices that challenge the ruling party,” one party spokesperson told the BBC.

Opposition Leader Threatened Before

This is not the first time opposition leaders have faced arrest during election periods in Tanzania.

In 2020, Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe was also detained for allegedly planning protests following a disputed election outcome.

Similarly, in Zanzibar, ACT Wazalendo leader Maalim Seif Sharif was arrested at a polling station in 2020, prompting alarm from international diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador to Tanzania.

Human rights organisations have called on Tanzanian authorities to respect political freedoms and ensure a fair electoral process. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both documented patterns of harassment against opposition figures, journalists, and activists in the country.