Tanzania’s opposition party, Chadema, claims three of its leaders were arrested on Saturday, November 8, 2025, by the country’s police.
In a statement, the party’s Director of Communication and Publicity, Brenda Rupia, states that those arrested include Chadema’s Chairperson of the Coastal Zone, Boniface Jacob.
“This afternoon, the police arrested Hon. Godbless Lema (Member of the Central Committee) in Arusha, and later in Dar es Salaam, they arrested Hon. Boniface Jacob (Chairperson of the Coastal Zone),” Brenda said.
“It should be noted that earlier this morning, Saturday, November 8, 2025, Police arrested the Deputy Secretary General (Mainland), Hon. Amani Golugwa.”
Chadema added that it will continue monitoring what it termed as an ongoing “wave of arrests targeting our leaders, members, and citizens across the country.”
The arrests come after Tanzanian authorities formally charged more than 100 individuals with treason following violent protests that broke out after the October 29 election, which officially returned President Samia Suluhu Hassan to power with 98 percent of the vote.
Chadema's chairman, Tundu Lissu, remains in detention on treason charges, which he denies.
The party’s deputy leader, John Heche, is facing terrorism charges, two weeks after his arrest in the capital Dodoma, his lawyer told the BBC.
Opposition parties, barred from participating, dismissed the election as fraudulent, while rights organisations reported widespread civilian casualties during the unrest.
On Friday, November 6, 2025, large numbers of suspects appeared in a court in Dar es Salaam, the country’s economic hub. One judicial source confirmed that 138 people were facing charges, while another said the number exceeded 100.
According to a charge sheet obtained by AFP, the accused were alleged to have attempted to disrupt the electoral process and intimidate government officials by damaging public property.
“Some of them they have been beaten, they are sick, they have not received any medical treatment,” said Paul Kisabo, a lawyer with the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, after observing the defendants. He added that, because treason is considered a non-bailable offence, the suspects would remain in custody until their next court date.
The opposition Chadema party claims that at least 800 people lost their lives in election-related violence, a figure supported by diplomatic and security sources, though some estimates suggest the toll could be higher. The government has not released any official statistics regarding deaths or injuries.
