Dar es Salaam – International and local pressure is intensifying on the Tanzanian government to locate and ensure the safe return of Humphrey Polepole, a former ambassador and prominent government critic, who was violently abducted from his home just weeks before the country’s general election.
The incident, which occurred on the night of October 6, 2025, has drawn condemnation from human rights organisations and political alliances and sparked a desperate appeal from his family, casting a harsh spotlight on what watchdogs describe as a deepening pattern of political repression in Tanzania.
According to his family, unidentified individuals broke into Polepole’s residence in the Ununio area of Dar es Salaam.
His brother, Godfrey Polepole, reported finding a scene of violent struggle, with a broken door, cut electrical wires, and a significant amount of blood both inside and outside the house. Images and videos corroborating these claims have circulated widely on social media.
In an emotional interview with the BBC, Polepole’s mother, Annamary Polepole, made a desperate appeal: “If he is alive, return him to me. If he is not, bring his body and let me bury my child myself. They should not go and throw him into the sea.”
She revealed that her daughter had also been abducted, beaten, and dumped near her home in July, suggesting a targeted campaign of intimidation against the family.
Highly sensitive time
The abduction of the 55-year-old former diplomat comes at a highly sensitive time, with Tanzania’s general election scheduled for October 29, 2025.
READ MORE: Humphrey Polepole: Former Ambassador and Government Critic Reportedly Abducted
Polepole, once a senior figure within the long-ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, had resigned from his post as Ambassador to Cuba on July 13, 2025, stating he could no longer serve an administration that was “disrespecting justice, the rule of law, and constitutional principles.”
Since his resignation, he had become a vocal online critic, publicly questioning the legitimacy of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s nomination as the CCM’s presidential candidate and levelling serious allegations of corruption against a powerful clique within the party and government, which he termed “the network.”
He specifically accused billionaire businessman and CCM stalwart Rostam Aziz of corruptly acquiring a major stake in the Ngaka coal mine—a claim Aziz has vehemently denied.
International reaction
The case has triggered a swift international reaction. Human Rights Watch labelled the disappearance “a disturbing development.” Its Africa researcher, Nomathamsanga Masiko-Mpaka, stated, “Tanzanian authorities need to stop muzzling dissenting voices and instead engage in meaningful reforms.”
Amnesty International issued a statement demanding Tanzanian authorities “immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts” of Polepole.
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, said, “Far too many people have disappeared in Tanzania over the recent years without any accountability. Authorities must bring this impunity to an end.”
The Kenya Left Alliance (KLA) also issued a press statement from Nairobi on October 7, condemning the abduction “in the strongest terms” and demanding Polepole’s “immediate release, or his production in a court of law.”
The Tanzanian Police Force has acknowledged the reports and confirmed an investigation is underway. However, the initial response appeared sceptical.
Dar es Salaam police chief Jumanne Muliro was quoted questioning the incident, noting that Polepole “often claimed to be out of the country,” and asking, “So how could this happen at his home in Tanzania?”
The police have also stated they are seeking Polepole’s brother, Augustino, who publicly alleged police involvement in the abduction, to provide clarification.
Authorities have emphasised that Polepole himself was under investigation for his corruption allegations, having been summoned in September to provide evidence to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Habeas corpus application
In a significant legal move, Polepole’s lawyers, led by Peter Kibatala, filed a habeas corpus application on October 7, 2025. The case, which names the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and other senior officials as respondents, was scheduled for an initial hearing on October 9, 2025.
The application argues that Polepole’s constitutional rights are being violated and demands that the authorities either produce him in court or release him.
READ MORE: Opposition Youth Leader Speaks Out as Wave of Enforced Disappearances Grips Tanzania
Polepole’s case is not isolated. According to UN human rights experts and data from Tanzania’s Legal and Human Rights Centre, the country has seen hundreds of cases of enforced disappearance since 2015, with over 200 recorded since 2019 alone.
Victims are often opposition figures, government critics, journalists, and even critical members of the ruling party.
The UN experts, in a June 2025 statement, explicitly called on Tanzania to “immediately stop the enforced disappearance of political opponents, human rights defenders and journalists, as a tool of repression in the electoral context.”
