Police block Chadema meeting in Dar es Salaam amid legal dispute

Dar es Salaam. Police in Kinondoni has today disrupted a planned meeting by opposition party Chadema, which was scheduled to take place at the Millennium Tower Hall in Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam.

The meeting, which was to be addressed by Chadema’s Vice Chairman (Mainland) Mr John Heche, was called off by law enforcement officers before it could officially begin. Mr Heche had not yet arrived at the venue when the intervention occurred.

Events unfolded swiftly as members of the press gathered inside the fifth-floor conference hall, anticipating a briefing from party officials. Instead, Ms Brenda Rupia, Chadema’s Director of Communications and Publicity, entered the room and took a seat at the main table.

Shortly after, three police officers—two in plain clothes and one in uniform—arrived at the venue, identifying themselves as members of the Kinondoni Regional Police and Dar es Salaam Special Zone.

“Who is in charge here?” one of the officers asked the room.

After a brief pause, Ms Rupia stood and acknowledged responsibility. A brief exchange followed, during which officers questioned the legality of the meeting.

“Are you aware that there is a court order prohibiting this meeting?” an officer asked.

Ms Rupia responded that she was present “as Brenda” and did not believe her actions were unlawful. Despite her protests, police instructed that the meeting be shut down immediately, informing those present—including journalists—that they must vacate the premises.

“This is not a negotiation,” one officer stated. “You are ordered to end this now.”

Journalists were subsequently escorted out of the hall. Outside the building, two police trucks and multiple officers—some in uniform, others in plain clothes—had been stationed as part of the enforcement effort.

While some Chadema officials lingered in the hotel corridors after the meeting was disbanded, police eventually forcibly removed them from the premises.

Security personnel affiliated with the party also vacated the building under close police watch.

The presence of law enforcement remained visible around the venue throughout the afternoon, with officers patrolling the area to prevent any unauthorised gatherings.

Authorities cited a court order as the basis for halting the Chadema event, although no additional details were provided at the scene regarding the nature or origin of the legal directive. Chadema has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

The incident comes amid heightened political tension, with opposition parties increasingly raising concerns over restrictions on political freedoms, particularly in the run-up to local elections.