A senior official from Tanzania’s leading opposition party, CHADEMA, was abducted, assaulted, and left seriously injured in a forest, the party announced on Sunday. This incident comes just a month after a similar abduction and murder of another opposition leader, raising concerns about political repression ahead of upcoming elections.
The abduction of Aisha Machano, the women’s wing publicity secretary for CHADEMA, took place in Kibiti, a town in eastern Tanzania, while she was on official duty. “Bodaboda (motorcycle) riders found her in a very bad health condition and in severe pain,” the party said in a statement shared on social media platform X.
According to CHADEMA, Machano’s captors demanded information about who instructed her to burn clothing distributed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the 2023 World Women’s Day commemorations in the Kilimanjaro region. After being found, Machano was immediately rushed to the hospital, where she was admitted for surgery.
This is the second incident in two months involving the abduction of senior CHADEMA officials. Last month, Ali Kibao, a member of the party’s secretariat, was kidnapped by armed men while traveling by bus from Dar es Salaam to Tanga. His body was later discovered on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, showing signs of severe beating and acid burns on his face.
The recent abductions and violence cast a shadow over President Hassan’s reformist image. While she has been praised for easing political repression since succeeding the late President John Magufuli, rights groups have expressed concerns that her administration is now targeting political opponents in the lead-up to local elections in December and a national election in 2025. The government denies these allegations.
Tanzanian police spokesperson David Misime confirmed that authorities have launched an investigation into Machano’s abduction. “We are requesting the public to remain calm while we investigate this incident and gather evidence on the people involved. Legal action will be taken based on the findings,” Misime said.
In response to Kibao’s death and other similar incidents, CHADEMA attempted to organize protests in Dar es Salaam last month, but police intervened and prevented the demonstrations from taking place. Following these events, President Hassan ordered an investigation into Kibao’s death and related cases, though the findings have yet to be disclosed.
(Reuters)
