Tanzania’s main opposition party CHADEMA, has raised alarm over the disappearance of its Deputy National Chairperson, John Heche, who was arrested on October 22 in Dar es Salaam while attending the treason case of party leader Tundu Lissu.

In a statement released on Thursday, October 23, the party said its legal team and regional leaders visited several police and immigration offices in Tarime and Musoma but were told there were no records of Heche’s detention or transfer. The party said this deepens fears about his safety and the growing pattern of intimidation against opposition figures ahead of the October 29 general election.

CHADEMA has called on the Inspector General of Police to urgently give a full and transparent explanation about Heche’s whereabouts.

“Hiding a political leader is a violation of basic human rights and a sign of continued erosion of the rule of law in the country,” the party’s Director of Publicity and Communication, Brenda Rupia said in a separate statement.

CHADEMA insists that national security cannot be guaranteed through words but through action, urging authorities to uphold the law and protect citizens’ rights.