Family members and the party have raised alarm over the whereabouts of John Heche, the Vice Chairperson of Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, following his arrest on October 22, 2025.

According to party lawyers, after Heche’s arrest on Wednesday, Dar es Salaam Police initially informed them that he was being held at the Central Police Station, but later said he was being transferred to Tarime.

However, in an update on Thursday, October 23, 2025, the party reported that it had dispatched lawyers to Tarime but had not received any information on Heche’s whereabouts. Family members who are based in Tarime highlighted that they have taken effort to look for Heche across various police station, without any positive feedback.

“We want to know where our brother is. This is something we continue to demand from the Police,” said Heche’s brother, Chacha Heche. “We feel that he is being tortured, psychologically and healthwise.”

Similarly, Heche’s mother, Weisiko Heche, who had just  returned from medical treatment in India, went to the Central Police Station to inquire about her son’s location. She said officers told her to return home without giving any information.

“I don’t know what their intention is, I just want them to return my son,” Weisiko Heche told reporters outside the Central Police Station. Family members further explained that Heche has special dietary requirements and would only eat food prepared by family members, raising additional concerns for his wellbeing.

“Heche will not disappear like a chicken; we will not allow so,” emphasized Chacha Heche.Meanwhile, CHADEMA’s Deputy Secretary, Amamni Golugwa, announced that the party will file a habeas corpus petition to demand that the police produce Heche in court.