The main opposition party CHADEMA's chairman Freeman Mbowe was detained on the street while his deputy Tundu Lissu was taken from his home amid plans to demonstrate against alleged killings and abductions of government critics.
CHADEMA said later on Monday that police arrested another senior official and an unspecified number of party members and staff and guards at two of their offices in Dar es Salaam.
Preliminary statement on the arrest of Chadema leaders and members in Dar Es salaam on 23 September, 2024. — CHADEMA Tanzania (@ChademaTz) pic.twitter.com/H9rdk4TVjHSeptember 23, 2024
Police also took into custody three journalists covering the protests, according to their employers Mwananchi Communications Ltd and East Africa TV.
One of its journalists was later released, Mwananchi said.
No reason was given for their arrests.
Police were not immediately available for comment.
Rights campaigners say President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government is targeting opponents ahead of local elections in December and a general election in 2025.
Police said 14 people were arrested including Mbowe and Lissu for defying a ban on the protests.
There was no immediate comment from Hassan's government alhough it has previously said it defends democracy and does not tolerate brutality.
CHADEMA said on social media platform X that Mbowe was arrested in the Magomeni area of the city when he arrived to lead a peaceful protest.
A convoy of 11 vehicles picked up Lissu and left without saying where he was being taken, it added.
The pair were also briefly arrested, along with hundreds of supporters, last month.
Lissu survived being shot 16 times during an assassination attempt in 2016.
Earlier this month, another senior CHADEMA member was abducted from a bus and his body later found with signs he had been beaten and had acid poured on his face.
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