Mbowe recalls how his bank accounts were emptied under Magufuli's regime

Dar es Salaam. Freeman Mbowe, the national chairman of opposition party Chadema, has opened up about the severe challenges he faced under the leadership of former President John Magufuli.

Mbowe detailed how over 2 billion shillings were forcibly taken from his bank accounts during Magufuli’s tenure, a move that led him to shift his businesses from Dar es Salaam to Dubai.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, December 21, 2024, Mr Mbowe recalled the difficult period that Chadema endured under former President Magufuli’s administration, describing it as a time marked by immense struggle for the opposition party.

He claimed that the government engaged in several tactics aimed at weakening Chadema, including a complete ban on political activities, arbitrary arrests, torture, abductions, and even the killing of some party members.

“Magufuli’s regime was ruthless. During that time, the opposition party and our supporters faced multiple challenges. We were subjected to politically motivated harassment, and it was clear that the regime's goal was to silence us. They banned our activities, arrested our members, and even bribed our MPs to weaken our influence,” said Mr Mbowe.

One of the most painful periods for Chadema supporters was the forced political loyalty campaign, known as ‘Kuunga Mkono Juhudi,’ where many people were coerced into joining the ruling party under duress.

Mr Mbowe noted that several of their supporters were falsely accused of crimes, some facing long prison sentences, while others were threatened with death if they did not comply.

Additionally, he said some party members were appointed to fake positions or forcibly reinstated into parliament, often against their will.

For Mr Mbowe, the personal toll was enormous. He spent over one year in prison, first in Segerea for 4 months and later in Ukonga for over 8 months.

During this period, his accounts were shut down, and his money—along with his parliamentary salary—was confiscated after being falsely accused of tax evasion in one of his companies.

The charges, which claimed that he owed more than 2.6 billion shillings in back taxes for one of his businesses, were later revealed to be part of a wider strategy to cripple him financially and politically.

“My accounts were emptied, my businesses were destroyed, and most of my property was seized by the government through cruel and excessive means. All of this happened while I was under constant pressure to support the government's efforts,” he told a meeting of Tanzanian editors.

“They gave me an ultimatum—either support them or leave Chadema with the promise that they would return all my seized property. I refused to betray the party that had been built with such great effort and sacrifice,” added Mr Mbowe.

Despite enduring what he described as a ‘valley of the shadow of death’, Mr Mbowe remained firm in his commitment to Chadema.

He emphasised that these hardships did not break his spirit but instead strengthened his resolve.

He highlighted the victories in the 2014 and 2015 elections as proof that Chadema’s struggle was worth it, even in the face of such brutal opposition.

However, the 2020 general election marked a turning point for the party, as Chadema suffered a massive setback, going from being a dominant political force to having zero representation in parliament.

According to Mr Mbowe, it was during this period that the party came under full attack, with some leaders forced into exile to escape death threats and other forms of persecution.

Mr Mbowe himself was forced to relocate his business operations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from December 4, 2020, until April 2024, as the government’s crackdown on opposition intensified.

He noted that this period of exile was necessary for his safety and the preservation of his business interests, but it did not deter him from continuing his political fight.

Reflecting on the immense challenges faced by both himself and his party, Mr Mbowe reiterated his commitment to Chadema’s cause and vowed to continue standing for democracy, justice, and the rule of law, despite the obstacles that may lie ahead.