Tanzania Arrests Opposition Leaders for Planning Protests

(Bloomberg) -- Tanzania police arrested leaders of the main opposition party after they asked supporters to join banned street protests to demand an end to political abductions and murders.

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Those arrested on Monday include Chadema Vice Chairman Tundu Lissu, a fiery critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government, Chairman Freeman Mbowe and former member of parliament Godless Lema.

“We have arrested 14 suspects who defied the police ban on the demonstrations,” Dar es Salaam police chief Muliro Jumanne told journalists.

Before his arrest, Lissu posted on X that armed police had surrounded his house and that he would be taken to a police station.

The three men were expected to lead unauthorized street demonstrations on Monday. Anti-riot police have been patrolling the streets of Dar es Salaam and elsewhere across the country for the past three days to deter the protests.

Police plan more arrests of opposition leaders for allegedly inciting the public to participate in the banned march, Muliro said.

Opposition leaders have accused Hassan of rowing back on promised political reforms and cracking down on democracy ahead of elections in November and next year. Police denied involvement in political abductions and murders and have pledged a thorough investigation.

(Updates with police comment in third paragraph.)

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