Tanzanian Police Arrest Main Opposition Leader, Party Says

Tanzanian police arrested the east African nation’s main opposition leader after he addressed a rally to promote democratic reform ahead of October elections, his party said.

Tundu Lissu and other members of the Chadema party were taken into custody in the southern Mbinga district on Wednesday, it said in a statement, adding that police used teargas to disperse his supporters.

“Police raided the public rally and when they tried to arrest Lissu, our supporters resisted,” said Chadema spokeswoman Brenda Rupia. “Police then used excessive force, including firing teargas and live ammunition in the air. Many people were injured, including women and children,” she said.

The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chadema has vowed to block upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections if the government does not implement key reforms, including the independence of the electoral body.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has warned that her government will not tolerate troublemakers in the run up to a general election. While Hassan lifted a ban on rallies and some newspapers after succeeding the autocratic John Magufuli in 2021, opposition leaders have accused her of rowing back on promised democratic reforms.

The article originally appeared in Bloomberg