Dar es Salaam/Upcountry. Planned nationwide protests by members of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) failed to take off on Monday, September 22, 2025 after police officers maintained a heavy presence at the organisation’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
The demonstrations had been called to condemn the assault of lawyer Deogratius Mahinyila on September 15, 2025, during the hearing of a case involving Chadema national chairman Tundu Lissu. Mahinyila, who also chairs the party’s youth wing, commonly known in its Kiswahili acronym as Bavicha, was allegedly beaten by police officers as they attempted to arrest him at the court premises.
Following the incident, TLS’s Governing Council resolved to stage peaceful demonstrations across the country to denounce the attack and demand accountability.
But despite the resolution, the police force warned against the protests, stating that they could not guarantee security due to their focus on election campaign rallies. The ban effectively stopped the planned action.
In Dar es Salaam, officers camped at the TLS headquarters from morning. A Mwananchi team observed more than 20 police officers and five vehicles stationed outside the offices, while others stood guard at the main gate.
By late afternoon, police were still patrolling the area.
TLS president Boniface Mwabukusi later issued a statement confirming that their offices had been surrounded by officers since morning.
He criticised the deployment, suggesting that the resources could have been better directed towards tracing missing persons and reuniting them with their families.
“We call upon all lawyers visiting the offices for services to exercise caution and avoid being drawn into provocation,” he said.
Mwabukusi stressed that TLS would continue discharging its mandate without fear or favour, ensuring the rule of law and the protection of human rights.
The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) strongly criticised the police action, saying no legitimate reasons had been given for surrounding TLS offices.
The centre reminded state organs of their duty to respect the law, as well as international and regional instruments that protect the independence of bar associations.
“We urge the police to immediately withdraw officers from TLS offices and allow lawyers and their clients to continue their activities peacefully,” LHRC said in a statement.
Calm in regions
Unlike Dar es Salaam, the situation in upcountry regions remained calm, with no demonstrations reported in Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza and Shinyanga.
TLS Dodoma regional chairperson Mary Munisi confirmed that no protests took place.
“Yes, we had planned to demonstrate, but for now speak to our president or his deputy for further details,” she said.
In Kahama, Shinyanga Region, TLS district chairperson Shaban Mvungi said the planned protests had been suspended following directives from the national leadership.
“It is true the protests were scheduled for today, but we were instructed to suspend them because talks are ongoing between TLS, the Chief Justice, and state authorities,” he explained.
In Mwanza, TLS regional chairperson Joseph Mugabe also confirmed the postponement, citing discussions held between Chief Justice George Masaju and TLS leaders.
“They agreed to resolve the matter within seven days. Until the Chief Justice issues a formal statement addressing our concerns, there will be no protests. If his statement does not meet our expectations, we will consider other lawful options,” Mugabe said.
The demonstrations had been intended to take place simultaneously across all regions in solidarity with Mahinyila, but were postponed pending the outcome of the talks.
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