Police disperse, arrest demonstrators against DP World deal

Dar es Salaam. Police in the commercial capital have dispersed and arrested some of the protestors opposing the Dar es Salaam port operation agreement between Tanzania and Dubai firm, DP World.

Called by activist Deusdedith Soka, the demonstration was to be held on Monday, June 19, from Temeke in Dar es Salaam to State House in Magogoni.

However, on June 17, 2023, the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Commander, Jumanne Muliro, banned the demonstration, and the person who organized the demonstration wrote a letter to cancel it.

However, early Monday some protestors who were bent on proceeding with the protests were arrested by the police in Dar es Salaam’s central business district.

However, the organiser of the protest, activist Deus Soka, was nowhere to be seen at the protest that was to be held from Temeke in Dar es Salaam to the State House in Magogoni.

When he was contacted through all his mobile phone numbers, he was not reachable, and he is not among those arrested by the police.

Soka, who is also a member of the opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), ran for ward councillor for Buza in Temeke in the 2020 general election

Earlier, the demonstration was announced to start from Temeke to State House Magogoni through Keko, Karume, Kariakoo, and Mnazi Mmoja, but today the route was changed and it was announced that it would start from Mnazi Mmoja.

People in small groups were seen scattered in different areas, while police cars were patrolling those areas.

One of the demonstrators, Shabani Kirita, said that they still intend to protest because it is peaceful and they are not creating any chaos.

"We continue to gather; we have to do it despite the police ban because it is our constitutional right. What the police are supposed to do is protect us," said Kirita.

On June 10, th National Assembly approved the upscaling of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Tanzania and Dubai to the implementation stage.