Dar es Salaam. Police in Pwani region are holding ten leaders of the opposition party CHADEMA after raiding an internal meeting that the leaders were conducting on Saturday at Mwitongo Hall, Maili Moja School, in Kibaha district in the region.
According to a police statement issued on Sunday, those detained include Upendo Winni Msechu, residing at KCMC, Moshi; Upendo Parsons Mwalushwa, residing at Mbezi, Dar es Salaam; Pendo Raphael Mwasomola, residing at Nzovwe, Mbeya; Focus Laurent Kasaka, residing at Kisesa, Mwanza; and Furaha Noel Mbise, residing at Ubungo, Dar Es Salaam.
Others are Mazmbia Amon Kabuje, residing at Kijenge, Arusha; Mkombozi Emmanuel Hatibu, residing at Maili Moja, Kibaha; Samson William Rabani, residing at Tangini, Kibaha; Abdallah Adam Mazengo, residing at Mwanama, Arusha; and Harouna Shanang Zangina, residing at Goba, Dar es Salaam.
“The Police Force is conducting thorough interrogations of the suspects, and further legal actions will follow upon completion of the investigation,” read the statement.
The police statement came following that of CHADEMA, which strongly condemned the arrest of its leaders and demanded a public explanation from law enforcement authorities for raiding the party’s internal meeting and detaining its officials without any legal justification.
READ MORE: CHADEMA Youths Mark International Youth Day Online Amid Suspended Party Activities: ‘No Retreat’
In their statement, police said they had received a tip that the leaders were allegedly “planning criminal activities,” which prompted them to take “immediate action and successfully arrest” them.
According to CHADEMA, police also conducted searches inside the hall, nearby houses, and vehicles in the area, confiscating important party documents and cash in Tanzanian Shillings.
“We view this action as a continuation of the government’s use of state organs to attack CHADEMA and suppress the rights of citizens,” said the statement signed by the party’s spokesperson Brenda Rupia.
“We remind the Police Force that their duty under the law is to protect citizens and their property, not to serve as a tool for suppressing opposition parties,” she added.
On June 10, 2025, the High Court barred CHADEMA from conducting any political activities and from utilising its assets.
READ MORE: CHADEMA Warns Members Against 2025 Election Participation, Upholds ‘No Reforms, No Election’ Stance
This followed a case filed before the court by former leaders of the party’s Zanzibar wing, who alleged unfair distribution of resources between Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.
One of the immediate consequences of the court order is that CHADEMA can no longer hold political rallies though it is unclear if the centre-right political party cannot also hold internal party meetings.
However, on August 12, 2025, CHADEMA youths celebrated International Youth Day virtually as the court order prevented them from convening a physical meeting.
