Tanzania Releases Senior Opposition Leaders Amid Post-Election Protests
Police in Tanzania have released several senior opposition figures who were detained after deadly protests following last month’s disputed elections, according to the main opposition party, Chadema. Four senior Chadema officials, arrested for their alleged involvement in the demonstrations, were released on bail on Monday. Among those freed were Chadema vice chairman John Heche and deputy secretary-general Amani Golugwa. Heche had been arrested on October 22 on suspicion of terrorism, while Golugwa was detained over the weekend. Other officials released include Godbless Lema, a member of Chadema’s central committee, and Boniface Jacob, chairman of the party’s coastal region branch. The Tanzanian government has not issued an official statement regarding their release. The unrest followed the re-election of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was declared the winner with nearly 98 percent of the vote, a result widely disputed by opposition groups. […]