Dar es Salaam – Thirteen CHADEMA members and supporters have been reported to have disappeared in nine days, with the party documenting a pattern of abductions by armed men using unmarked white Land Cruiser vehicles across multiple regions of the country.
The disappearances, occurring between October 1 and October 9, have intensified political tensions just weeks before the October 29 general election. CHADEMA officials report that those taken include ward chairpersons and constituency level leaders, with families describing scenes of forced entry and violence.
The incidents span from Busega district in Simiyu to Njombe in the southern highlands, suggesting a coordinated operation targeting opposition figures nationwide. Police have confirmed receiving some reports and opening an investigation, but have not commented on the other cases.
The documented disappearances began on October 1 when Lobezi Kulilo Masanyiwa, a CHADEMA Executive Committee member in Busega district, in Simiyu, was taken at gunpoint from his workplace by masked men.
Two days later, the pace accelerated in the Ikungi area of the Singida region. Issa Hamisi Kaudo, a CHADEMA Ward Chairperson, received a phone call that lured him outside, where he was forced into a Land Cruiser. A local media reported a response from Ikungi District Commissioner, Thomas Apson who told the outlet that, they have assured the family not to worry, “the government is at work. We continue to cooperate with our counterparts from other agencies to ensure that we find him.”
Paul Veslas, a bodaboda operator who had accompanied him, was also seized. The same day, Evarist James Ramadhani disappeared after being called from their homes.
October 4 saw multiple incidents across the country. In Morogoro, CHADEMA Publicity Secretary Amos Pambala vanished after answering a phone call. Morogoro Regional Police confirmed receiving a report about Rogers Yohana Ludovick’s disappearance and said they had opened an investigation.
In Njombe, CHADEMA youth wing(BAVICHA) secretary Abednego Sanga was reportedly forcibly taken from his pharmacy by armed men. According to a local news outlet that interviewed Njombe Regional Police Commander ACP Mahamoud Banga, he confirmed receiving the report through the OC-CID and stated that the police have launched an investigation.
“Officers are at the scene taking statements from residents and tracking the vehicle that was used, as well as the cause of the incident. At this point, I cannot confirm whether the person abducted is indeed a BAVICHA leader, but it is true that an individual has been seized by unidentified people,” ACP Banga was quoted as saying.
In Kahama district, Shinyanga, four young people, including Ibrahim Muhidin Mfangavo, were reported abducted.
CHADEMA deputy chairperson (Tanzania Mainland), John Heche, addressed the situation outside the High Court in Dar es Salaam on October 8, demanding accountability from authorities.
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“The continued acts of abducting people because they criticise the government are unacceptable, and we will not accept them,” Heche told journalists.
“There will come a day when [the perpetrators] will be held accountable,” Heche added. “If someone has done wrong, the laws of our country exist. We want to know who these people are who have abducted nearly 15 people in 11 consecutive days.”
Growing tensions
These incidents are reported against a backdrop of intense national tension, fuelled by widespread but unconfirmed reports of plans for mass demonstrations on October 29—the very day of the election.
The opposition CHADEMA has been unequivocal in its pledge to prevent the election from taking place under the slogan No Reforms, No Election, a stance that led to its national chairperson, Tundu Lissu, being charged with treason after he stated the party would “rebel” and “disrupt” election day.
While there is no clear evidence linking CHADEMA to the direct coordination of the rumoured October 29 protests, the primary mobilisation for them has occurred on social media.
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Platforms like TikTok have hosted fervent discussions, leading to unconfirmed reports that authorities have restricted access to live discussion features on the app.
This follows the government’s complete ban on X (formerly Twitter), officially over pornographic content, a move some see as an effort to control public discourse and suppress opposition voices.
The political climate was further complicated by a viral livestream on October 5 featuring someone identifying himself as Captain John Charles Tesha in an Air Force uniform.
During the broadcast, he criticised the government’s direction, highlighted the CHADEMA crackdown, alleged corruption, and called for an investigation into former President John Magufuli’s death. He also called for military intervention, describing the army as the only trusted institution to “take action.”
The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) quickly distanced itself from these statements, denouncing attempts to “draw the military into political matters.” The TPDF reaffirmed its constitutional role.
Maintaining peace
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has maintained her campaign focus on peaceful elections. Speaking in Mwanza on October 7, she said, “We will respect our nation by having peace, by conducting elections without problems, violence, or fraud.” CCM officials have characterised online criticism as “chaos” from a small group.
READ MORE: Tanzania Army Warns Against Push on Social Media to Involve It in Political Affairs
Meanwhile, security forces have conducted visible exercises. On October 3, TPDF soldiers and police units held joint drills and route marches in Dar es Salaam. Similar exercises took place in Geita, Dodoma, and Katavi regions.
Simultaneously, on October 6, 2025, the Police Spokesperson, David Misime, also issued a stern warning to social media users who utilise the platforms to spread what he described as information of “incitement and disinformation.”
“The Police Force will continue to hunt for, arrest, and hand over to other criminal justice authorities, through legal procedures, as it has already done with those who have been arrested,” Misime added in his statement.
