Dar es Salaam. The family of Daniel Chonchori, a member of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and a member of the party’s Congress, has appealed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan and relevant authorities to assist in ensuring his safe return. Chonchori went missing on March 23, 2025, and his family is desperately seeking answers.
The appeal was made on March 25, 2025, by Chonchori’s sister, Lucy Mlimi, during a press conference in Dar es Salaam. She emphasized the urgency of finding her brother, highlighting his role as a family man and a key supporter of his relatives.
“On March 23, 2025, my younger brother, who resides in Nyakato, Mwanza, went missing. He left home for his routine jogging exercise and never returned,” Lucy said. “That evening, his family reported the matter to the police in Mwanza, but they were told to wait 24 hours for further details. The next morning, the police arrived at the scene to begin their preliminary investigation.”
Before the police could start their probe, the family had already spoken to neighbors. One witness claimed to have seen Chonchori being abducted by unknown individuals.
“A witness reported seeing Chonchori that day, walking while talking on his phone. Shortly after, four men surrounded him. Moments later, a cream-colored Defender with tinted windows arrived, and they forced him into the vehicle,” Lucy recounted.
On March 24, 2025, the Mwanza Regional Police issued a statement confirming they had launched an investigation into Chonchori’s disappearance. The 46-year-old businessman and resident of Temeke Street in Nyakato Ward, Nyamagana District, had recently expressed interest in contesting for a parliamentary seat in the Tarime Urban Constituency.
Authorities urged the public to come forward with any information regarding Chonchori’s whereabouts by reporting to the police or relevant government agencies.
Chonchori’s case is not an isolated incident in Mwanza. On February 14, 2025, Amani Manengelo, the Mwanza regional secretary of the youth wing of the opposition party CHADEMA (BAVICHA), was also reported missing. Witnesses claim he was taken by four armed men in his hometown of Misungwi.
Four days later, on February 18, 2025, the Mwanza Regional Police announced an investigation into Manengelo’s disappearance, urging public cooperation. However, more than a month has passed, and Manengelo remains missing, with no updates from the police on the progress of their inquiry.
In an open letter published on The Chanzo on December 30, 2024, CCM cadre and key CCM figure in Bariadi, Levinus Kidamabi, complained to the party secretary that, he was abducted and tortured by CCM’s youth leader in Simiyu. Kidamabi complained that despite filing a case, the police walked him in circles and asked the party secretary to intervene.
