Tanzania opposition leader charged with ‘terror-related’ crimes

Freeman Mbowe was arrested last week while preparing for a meeting on new constitution proposals.

A court in Tanzania has charged the leader of the main opposition party with “terrorism-related” crimes, police said on Monday, following his arrest while preparing for a meeting to discuss proposals for a new constitution. Freeman Mbowe, head of the Chadema party, and 10 others were arrested in the city of Mwanza on Wednesday, in what the party said was proof that President Samia Suluhu Hassan was continuing with the authoritarianism of her late predecessor John Magufuli. Jumanne Muliro, Dar es Salaam special zone police commander, said Mbowe had been charged at Dar es Salaam’s Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s court.