Following the release on bail of the Chairman of the Non-Employed Teachers Organisation (NETO), Joseph Paulo Kaheza, who was previously detained by the Police in Geita, reports indicate that another NETO leader was arrested last night at his home in Pwani Region.
According to a statement from NETO and the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC), NETO’s Secretary, Daniel Edger Mkinga, was arrested at his home in Kibaha, Miembe Saba, at around 8:45 PM.
“Those who came to arrest him included a local government representative and three police officers from Maili Moja Police Station in Kibaha, Pwani,” THRDC stated.
The report further explains that, according to Mkinga’s wife, the officers claimed they were taking him in for questioning regarding NETO’s activities and also confiscated his phone.
Both Mkinga and Kaheza are key leaders of NETO, a movement advocating for the rights of unemployed teachers, some of whom have been volunteering in public schools.
NETO’s Demands for Employment
On January 21, 2025, NETO issued a public statement in Dar es Salaam criticizing the government’s teacher recruitment process, which began on January 14, 2025. They urged the government to prioritize employment for graduates from as far back as 2015.
The recruitment process, which started on January 14, 2025, had 201,707 applicants competing for only 14,648 available teaching positions.
NETO stated that they formed the movement due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the employment of teaching graduates, especially in the public sector, since 2015.
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They argued that while the government had encouraged people to pursue teaching careers, the employment rate remained slow, despite an increase in government revenue compared to the previous administration, which used to offer direct employment to teachers.
Government Response and Arrests
In response to NETO’s claims, Minister of State for Public Service Management and Good Governance, George Simbachawene, invited the movement’s leaders for a discussion, stating that some of their concerns required careful consideration.
However, just a day after Simbachawene’s invitation, NETO leader Joseph Paulo Kaheza was arrested. The police in Geita stated that they detained Kaheza for questioning, during which he admitted to managing a WhatsApp group for NETO.
“The initial investigation found that this organization is not legally registered,” said Geita Regional Police Commander, SACP Safia Jongo.
After being released on bail, Kaheza was instructed to report back to the police on Thursday, February 27, 2025. His lawyers from THRDC revealed that the police had confiscated his phone.
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“The investigation is still ongoing, and other suspects have not yet been arrested,” added SACP Jongo.
NETO’s Growing Influence
NETO is reported to have united nearly 10,000 unemployed teachers across the country through social media platforms of WhatsApp, advocating for their employment rights.
In their public statements, NETO has continuously emphasized the need for urgent government action to ensure that teaching graduates secure formal employment in order to improve the education sector, and mitigate the negative consequences of unemployment.
