Tanzania Detains Opposition Leader Golugwa at Airport Ahead of Global Political Summit

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Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – iNewsAfrica | Tanzanian opposition figure Amani Golugwa, Deputy Secretary General of the CHADEMA party, was arrested on Monday at Julius Nyerere International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Brussels for a high-profile political conference.

According to police from the Dar es Salaam Special Zone, Golugwa is accused of repeatedly traveling abroad without complying with official travel procedures. Authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing in collaboration with national security agencies.

Golugwa was en route to attend a summit organized by the International Democrat Union (IDU), a global alliance of center-right political parties. His detention has drawn swift condemnation from international observers and human rights advocates.

The IDU issued a statement criticizing the arrest as a “flagrant violation of democratic norms” and demanded Golugwa’s immediate release.

This latest crackdown follows a string of actions targeting CHADEMA members. In April, the party’s national leader, Tundu Lissu, was arrested and charged with treason after calling for sweeping electoral reforms. CHADEMA has since been barred from contesting the upcoming general elections after refusing to endorse a controversial electoral code of conduct.

The wave of arrests and political restrictions has sparked growing concern over the Tanzanian government’s commitment to upholding democratic freedoms and human rights ahead of the October 2025 elections.

iNewsAfrica will continue to monitor developments as this story unfolds.