Chadema to Sue Police Commissioner and Registrar Over Brutal Arrests and Rally Disruption

By Adonis Byemelwa

Chadema has vowed to take legal action against the Police Commissioner for Operations and Training, Awadhi Haji, and Assistant Registrar of Political Parties, Sisty Nyahoza, accusing them of orchestrating the arrest and brutal treatment of top leaders and members of the party. Chadema decides to sue these officials individually, not in their official capacities.

The move comes in the wake of an aborted Bavicha Youth Council rally scheduled for Monday, August 12, 2024, at the Ruanda-Nzovwe grounds in Mbeya. According to Chadema, both Awadhi and Nyahoza played pivotal roles in disrupting the event.

When contacted, Nyahoza stood firm, stating that they were simply executing their duties. "They should go ahead, but we are doing our job as required. If you want more details, come to my office, and we’ll talk," he stated. Efforts to reach Awadhi for comment were unsuccessful as his aide answered the call, indicating that Awadhi was in a meeting and unavailable.

In a press briefing held Yesterday, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Chadema Chairman Freeman Mbowe declared the party’s intention to pursue legal action against Awadhi and Nyahoza. "There are good people within the Police Force who see what’s happening but can’t speak out.

 We can’t condemn the entire Police Force, but these two individuals must be held accountable. Our legal team, led by Vice Chairman Tundu Lissu, will file a civil lawsuit against Nyahoza and Awadhi," Mbowe stated. "We are dragging them to court as individuals.

 We don’t want government lawyers interfering; we want them to justify their actions and explain who instructed them."

Mbowe alleged that Nyahoza’s letter to Chadema, dated August 8, was the catalyst for the chaos that led to the arrest and mistreatment of the party’s leaders and members. The letter, signed by Nyahoza, claimed that a public statement by Twaha Mwaipaya, a Bavicha organizer, violated sections 6A and 9(2) of the Political Parties Act.

In his statement, Mwaipaya had urged young people across the country to converge in Mbeya on August 12 to "decide the future of Tanzania," drawing parallels to the youth activism seen in Kenya.

However, Mbowe refuted the allegations, insisting that Bavicha had no such intentions. He argued that Mwaipaya’s statement was made publicly for the authorities to hear and act accordingly, not in secret.

On Awadhi’s involvement, Mbowe accused him of leading the crackdown on Chadema’s leaders and members, resulting in injuries and arrests. "Mnyika and Joseph Mbilinyi were beaten by the police after being arrested.

Normally, the police use force when someone resists, but in this case, our leaders complied and were still assaulted inside police vehicles," Mbowe claimed.

In another development, Mbowe announced that all leaders facing false charges would not report to the police station. "We will not go to the police to answer these fabricated charges. If they want to take further action, they can do so, but we are not reporting," he declared.

During the same press briefing, Lissu and Chadema Secretary-General John Mnyika recounted their harrowing experiences after being arrested by the police in Mbeya for defying the ban on the rally marking International Youth Day, celebrated annually on August 12.

 Lissu detailed how they were surrounded by police at the regional office when the situation escalated. He alleged that Commissioner Awadhi ordered their arrest, leading to a violent encounter.

"It was pure harassment. Sugu (Joseph Mbilinyi) was dragged and his shirt torn before he was beaten with electric batons. There was chaos. As I was being taken away, I left behind people being beaten severely," Lissu narrated.

He was subsequently transported to Vwawa Police Station in Songwe Region, where he was detained overnight. The following day, he was transferred to Dar es Salaam, arriving at the Central Police Station at 5 a.m., where he was released on bail.

Mnyika, who limped as he approached the microphone, claimed that his glasses were broken and thrown away by Awadhi, who allegedly remarked that Chadema leaders had been troublesome. "This statement from Haji was like a signal for the police, particularly the anti-riot unit, to start beating me.

They surrounded me with heavy weapons, and I feared for my life, thinking I might suffer serious harm or even death," Mnyika recalled. To save himself, he began shouting, "You’re killing me!" The police then lifted him and threw him into a vehicle, where Sugu was already lying in pain from the beating.

During their transportation from Mbeya to Njombe and Iringa, Mnyika and Mbilinyi were forced to lie face down in the vehicle, forbidden from lifting their heads. Sugu, in particular, was in such pain that he cried out during the journey.

 "I told the officers that Sugu wasn’t well, but they told him to toughen up as the journey was far from over," Mnyika explained. Upon reaching Makambako, Mnyika was separated from Mbilinyi, who was taken to Iringa.

Mbilinyi arrived in Iringa at around 9 p.m. and was placed in solitary confinement. The next day, he was transported to Dar es Salaam under severe conditions, reaching Central Police Station at 5 a.m. Despite his deteriorating condition, the officers at the station refused to detain him or issue a treatment permit. Instead, they hired a taxi for Sh 7,000 to take him to a guest house. Currently, Mbilinyi is receiving medical treatment for injuries to his back, ribs, head, and legs.

On a final note, both Joseph Mbilinyi and John Mnyika’s phones, along with $5,000 and Sh 3 million, were reported stolen during the harrowing ordeal. Such theft and the use of brute force against political figures raise troubling questions about the state of democracy in Tanzania. If even high-profile leaders are not safe from such violence and theft, it casts a dark shadow over the nation's commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law.