Tanzania arrests 51 opposition officials on terrorism charges ahead of July protests

Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema says 51 of its officials have been arrested and charged with terrorism as the government moves to block planned protests on July 7. Deputy chairperson John Heche warned the arrests are meant to intimidate critics, noting that the charges carry sentences from 10 years to life and are not eligible for bail. The protests were intended to mark the ruling party’s founding date and to demand democratic reforms after the disputed October election in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote.

Heche also said Chadema chairman Tundu Lissu faces the same terrorism charges, and a university lecturer had his incitement case upgraded to terrorism. In June, the government banned all political rallies, citing security concerns, but gave no timeline for lifting the ban. The authorities have not commented on the latest arrests, while the October election’s death toll remains contested, with the government reporting 500 deaths and the opposition claiming thousands.