Tanzania’s Opposition Leader Mbowe Stands Trial In High Court For Terrorism

Africa | Tanzania August 31, 2021

Tanzania’s main opposition leader Freeman Mbowe on August 31, 2021, appeared in the country’s High Court in Dar es Salaam, to stand trial for terrorism charges. That was reported by some Tanzanian media.

The trial comes after more than a month of incarceration following his arrest just after the midnight hour in a hotel in the north-western city of Mwanza on July 21, 2021, prior to his party’s planned meeting on that day, about need for constitutional reforms in the East African nation. During his incarceration said to have been characterized by brutality by police, he was charged for some terrorism offenses and his case was mentioned several times in a magistrate court in Dar es Salaam, that has no jurisdiction over such offences.

Mr Mbowe through his attorneys and party Chadema has persistently dismissed the terrorism allegations against him as politically motivated aimed at suppressing opposition in Tanzania. He has also reportedly requested the High Court to quash the case altogether citing, among others, violation of his constitutional rights that he says took place during his arrest and incarceration.

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