Tanzania opposition party’s regional leader denies alleged political arson attempt

Muleba. Marchad Tiba (68), the Chairman of the Chadema Elders’ Council in Kagera Region, has rejected allegations from the police linking him to an attempt to set fire to the office of the village executive officer in Bumiro, Kibanga Ward, Muleba District, for personal political gain.

Tiba is accused of attempting to set fire to the office on November 9, 2024, after reportedly breaking down the door and trying to ignite the desk with dry grass and a mattress.

However, police have claimed that the fire failed to catch and caused no significant damage.

Kagera Regional Police Commander Brasius Chatanda told this paper on Monday, November 11, 2024, that police arrested Tiba based on initial investigations suggesting that he had planned the attack to destroy important documents in the office for his political interests. He added that the investigation was ongoing.

“We arrested the suspect after receiving intelligence that he intended to destroy documents in the office to further his personal political agenda,” said Chatanda. “We are continuing our investigation to understand his full motive.”

The accused speaks out

In response to the allegations, Tiba, who is also a senior member of Chadema in Kagera, has denied the claims, urging for a thorough investigation. Speaking to this paper on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, he said the police’s statement was inaccurate and that a proper investigation should be conducted.

Tiba explained that the tensions in Kibanga Ward began on November 8, 2024, during the process of posting the names of candidates for local government elections.

He claimed that the assistant election supervisor deliberately delayed posting the names, knowing that appeals would be limited by the weekend.

“The assistant election supervisor intentionally delayed posting the names, knowing it was a Friday, and that the deadline for appeals would fall on Saturday and Sunday, which are not official working days,” Tiba explained.

He said that the delay caused frustration among residents, who then demanded immediate access to the list to file appeals. According to Tiba, this led to heightened tensions and a heavy police presence at the time.

The following day, November 9, Tiba claimed that he was arrested by police without being informed of the reason for his detention. He later learned that he was being accused of attempting to burn the village executive’s office.

Chadema's stand

The Chadema Chairman for Muleba South constituency, Julius Mutegeki, voiced the party's support for Tiba, stating that the accusations were politically motivated and not based on facts.

“The situation escalated after the delay in posting the election candidate names, which caused frustration among our members, who then went to the ward offices to demand an explanation,” Mutegeki said.

Mutegeki confirmed that Chadema would not boycott the upcoming local government elections but called on the authorities to conduct a fair investigation before making any conclusions.

Kibanga Ward resident Fransis John also reported witnessing the tensions on November 8, when political leaders and government officials argued over the delayed posting of candidate names.