Tanzanian police have arrested Amani Golugwa, a senior official of the main opposition party Chadema, as he was preparing to travel to Belgium for a political conference.
The arrest occurred on Monday at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
Chadema confirmed the arrest on Tuesday, saying Golugwa was on his way to Brussels to represent the party at a political forum.
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The event was organised by the International Democracy Union, a global group of centre-right parties that includes the UK’s Conservative Party and the US Republican Party.
Police later confirmed Golugwa’s arrest on social media. They claimed he has a history of leaving and entering the country without following legal procedures. They added that investigations were ongoing with the help of other security agencies.
The arrest adds to growing concerns over a crackdown on opposition voices in Tanzania ahead of the October general elections. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking re-election, has promised to respect human rights, but recent arrests of opposition figures are raising doubts.
Just last month, Chadema’s national leader Tundu Lissu was also arrested. He was later charged with treason over comments prosecutors claimed were meant to incite unrest.
Lissu had been holding rallies across the country under the slogan ‘No Reforms, No Election’, demanding changes to an electoral process he said favoured the ruling party.
Shortly after his arrest, the electoral commission disqualified Chadema from participating in the elections. The commission said the party failed to sign a required code of conduct for the polls.
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The International Democracy Union has condemned Golugwa’s arrest, calling it an attack on democracy. The group said silencing opposition figures goes against democratic values and demanded his immediate release.
