Written by Were Kelly
Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, has declared that a third member of its top leadership has been arrested by state authorities, alleging a coordinated government campaign to cripple the party’s operations through treason charges. The party’s Deputy Secretary General (Mainland), Honourable Amani Golugwa, was detained by the Arusha Regional Police on the morning of Saturday, November 8, 2025. This arrest leaves only three of the party’s six most senior leaders at liberty, marking a significant escalation in the political tensions within the East African nation.
The arrest was confirmed in a public statement issued from the party’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam. The communication detailed that Honourable Golugwa was taken into custody in the northern city of Arusha, a key political base. His detention follows the earlier arrests of the party’s powerful Chairperson, Honourable Tundu Lissu, and its Vice Chairperson, Honourable John Heche. This series of actions against the opposition’s upper echelons has unfolded rapidly, creating a leadership vacuum at the top of the country’s primary political opposition. The statement noted, “The arrest of the Deputy Secretary General means that only three of the party’s six top leaders remain free,” underscoring the systematic nature of the state’s approach.
In its strongly worded release, CHADEMA framed the arrests as a deliberate strategy by the government to dismantle its organisational capacity. The party asserted that it has received information indicating the crackdown is intensifying and expanding beyond the senior leadership. “We have received information indicating that this wave of arrests targeting party leaders and members continues to spread to lower levels, with some being forced to confess to organising demonstrations,” the statement claimed. It further revealed the party’s understanding of the state’s intended legal strategy, stating, “We understand that the government intends to charge our leaders with treason in an attempt to cripple the Party’s leadership and paralyze its operations.” The specific evidence for these treason allegations was not detailed in the release.
The political atmosphere in Tanzania has been closely watched by international observers since the return of veteran opposition figure Tundu Lissu. The recent arrests represent the most severe challenge to the opposition in years and raise profound questions about the state of multi-party democracy in the country. CHADEMA’s statement sought to project resilience and commitment to its support base in the face of these pressures. It aimed to reassure supporters and the wider public of its steadfastness, declaring, “We wish to assure our members and all those who cherish democracy, justice, and the rule of law that our Party stands firmly with the people of Tanzania as we continue the struggle for democracy in our nation.”
As of the release of the statement, there had been no immediate public comment from the Tanzanian government or the police force regarding the specific allegations made by CHADEMA. The coming days are likely to see increased political manoeuvring as the party attempts to reorganise its decimated leadership structure and mount a legal and public relations defence for its detained officials. The situation places a sharp focus on the judiciary and its role in adjudicating what has become a fundamental political conflict, with the future balance of power in Tanzanian politics hanging in the balance.
