Tanzanian authorities have detained a senior official from the main opposition party, Chadema, as part of a wider crackdown following deadly post‑election protests last week.
Chadema said its deputy secretary general, Amani Golugwa, was arrested on Saturday. Officials are seeking nine more people, including other party figures. Police have said they are conducting “a serious manhunt to find all who planned, coordinated and executed this evil act.” Among those named as wanted are Chadema’s secretary general John Mnyika and head of communications Brenda Rupia.
Chadema and several human rights organisations say more than 1,000 people were killed by security forces during demonstrations that erupted after the vote; the government has described those figures as exaggerated and has not provided its own casualty totals. Authorities have charged more than 200 people with treason in connection with the unrest — an offence that can carry the death penalty, though Tanzania has not carried out executions since 1995.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the election with 98% of the vote. The result has been widely condemned by the opposition, which was barred from participating, and by observers who said the process was not democratic and reported instances of ballot‑stuffing. The exclusion of prominent opposition figures — including Chadema leader Tundu Lissu, who was charged with treason in April and prevented from running — helped spark the protests.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, say authorities engaged in enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings in the run‑up to and during the vote. Amnesty also reported internet shutdowns and excessive use of force as the government attempted to suppress post‑election demonstrations, which authorities say took place across several cities on 29 October.
The crackdown has targeted a range of people perceived to be connected to the unrest; rights groups note arrests of activists and business figures, including a prominent businesswoman accused of encouraging protesters to buy gas masks. President Samia acknowledged deaths during the unrest but blamed foreigners for fomenting the disturbances, saying some arrested were from other countries.
Despite the unrest, Samia was sworn in on Monday at a televised ceremony held at a military parade ground and closed to the public. Samia became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 after the death in office of John Magufuli. While initially praised for easing political repression, critics say her administration has since reversed course and overseen a renewed clampdown on dissent.
