Tanzania’s political tensions have escalated just days before the country’s general elections, following the arrest of John Heche, deputy chairperson of the main opposition party, Chadema. Heche was detained on Wednesday while attempting to attend the treason trial of the party’s leader, Tundu Lissu, at the High Court in Dar es Salaam.
According to a statement from Chadema, the arrest is part of a wider plan by the government to detain senior opposition leaders until after the elections scheduled for October 29. The government has not commented on the allegations, nor have the police issued a statement regarding Heche’s arrest his second detention within a week.
Chadema claimed that Heche is being transported to Tarime, a northern town more than 1,300 kilometers from Dar es Salaam, raising concerns about the motive behind his relocation. Last Saturday, Heche was briefly detained while trying to cross into neighboring Kenya to attend the burial of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Tanzania’s immigration authorities accused him of attempting to cross illegally, a charge Chadema has strongly denied.
Heche’s arrest adds to growing unease over a crackdown on dissenting voices. The disappearance of Humphrey Polepole, a former ambassador and government critic, has further fueled fears. His family reported that he was abducted from his home in Dar es Salaam earlier this month, with signs of violence at the scene.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, seeking a second term under the ruling CCM party, was once praised for opening political space after succeeding the late John Magufuli in 2021. However, critics now accuse her administration of tightening restrictions on opposition and civil society.
Chadema has been banned from participating in next week’s polls, while its leader, Tundu Lissu, has been detained since April. Luhaga Mpina, the ACT-Wazalendo candidate, has also been disqualified—leaving President Samia to face only minor-party challengers.
