Dar es Salaam – A former Tanzanian ambassador and outspoken critic of the government was reportedly abducted from his home on Monday, raising fears of escalating political tensions just weeks before the country’s October 29, 2025, general election.
Humphrey Polepole, a prominent figure within the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, was reportedly taken by unknown individuals from his home in Dar es Salaam on the night of October 6, 2025.
The incident has sent shockwaves through Tanzania, a nation preparing for a general election on October 29, 2025, amidst a climate of what human rights organisations have described as “deepening repression.”
Images and videos circulating on social media showed signs of a violent struggle at Polepole’s residence in Ununio, with broken doors and bloodstains visible inside and outside the house. His brother, Godfrey Polepole, confirmed the abduction to the BBC, stating that the family had filed a report with the police.
Polepole’s abduction is the latest in a troubling series of enforced disappearances that have plagued Tanzania in recent years. According to UN human rights experts, more than 200 cases of enforced disappearance have been recorded in the country since 2019, with the Legal and Human Rights Centre documenting approximately 100 cases between 2015 and February 2025.
The victims have predominantly been opposition figures, government critics, and civil society activists, but the situation has also affected members of CCM as well as other ordinary citizens.
A vocal critic
Polepole, 55, has become a vocal critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government and the CCM, a party that has held power in Tanzania since independence in 1961.
He has publicly questioned the legitimacy of President Samia’s nomination as the CCM’s presidential candidate for the upcoming election, alleging that the process violated the party’s constitution.
The CCM has consistently denied these claims.In a series of online talks, Polepole has also railed against what he terms “the network,” a powerful clique of senior CCM politicians and business figures he accuses of corruptly benefiting from their proximity to power.
One of his primary targets has been Rostam Aziz, a billionaire businessman and a long-standing figure within the CCM. Polepole alleged that Aziz had acquired a 70 per cent stake in the Ngaka coal mine, the largest in East and Central Africa, for a fraction of its value.
READ MORE: Polepole Says Unknown Individuals Invaded His Sister’s Home, Fears She Has Been Taken
Aziz has vehemently denied these accusations, calling them “completely false and totally fabricated.”
The alleged abduction comes at a critical juncture for Tanzania. The country is gearing up for an election that is widely expected to see President Samia secure another term.
However, the lead-up to the poll has been marred by a crackdown on the opposition. The main opposition party, CHADEMA, has faced significant obstacles, with its national chairperson and would-be presidential candidate, Tundu Lissu, currently on trial for treason.
Investigation underway
The Tanzanian Police Force has issued a statement acknowledging the reports of Polepole’s abduction and confirming that an investigation is underway. The police also noted that they had an open investigation into Polepole himself, following his public allegations of corruption.
In a statement released on September 15, 2025, the police had called on Polepole to provide evidence to support his claims.
READ MORE: Tanzanian Tycoon and Former CCM Leader, Rostam Aziz, Rebukes Polepole Over Party Criticism
Polepole’s political career has been a tumultuous one. He has served as a Member of Parliament, a District Commissioner, and as the CCM’s Secretary for Ideology and Publicity.
In 2022, he was appointed as Tanzania’s Ambassador to Malawi, a move widely seen as an attempt to sideline him. He was later transferred to Cuba in 2023, but resigned from his post on July 13, 2025, citing a loss of faith in the country’s leadership. President Samia officially revoked his ambassadorial status on August 25, 2025.
In his final broadcast before the abduction, Polepole reiterated his call for national reconciliation and his unwavering opposition to corruption.
“I, Humphrey Hezron Polepole, have decided to say that oppression, corruption, theft, smuggling, banditry, gangs, essentially mafia-like, such as the CCM-network, have no place in the United Republic of Tanzania,” he declared.“And any patriot will stand firm on this.”
