DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Tanzanian opposition leader Godbless Lema was stopped from leaving the country on Friday while attempting to cross into Kenya, a move that has drawn criticism from rights groups and raised new concerns about political freedoms ahead of the country’s general elections in October.
Mr. Lema, a senior figure in the opposition CHADEMA party and former Member of Parliament, told reporters he was traveling to Nairobi to receive medical treatment when he was halted at the Namanga border crossing.
“They said my travel was not cleared and that I needed to report to immigration headquarters in Dodoma,” Mr. Lema said in a phone interview. “This is harassment and part of a broader effort to silence opposition voices.”
Immigration officials later confirmed the incident, saying Mr. Lema was flagged during a routine identity verification process.
“There is nothing unusual about this,” an official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The East African Standard.
“We asked him to report to headquarters so we can clarify documentation matters.”
Mr. Lema, who has previously lived in political exile in Kenya, remains a vocal critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration. In recent months, he has accused the government of orchestrating what he calls a “covert crackdown” on dissent as the election season looms.
“This kind of targeting is not isolated,” said Fatma Karume, a Tanzanian constitutional lawyer and governance advocate. “The pattern is clear — the state is closing civic space and sending a message to opposition figures.”
The Tanzanian government has faced increasing scrutiny from civil society groups and international observers over shrinking freedoms, particularly with the passage of new cybercrime laws and the temporary shutdown of the social media platform X earlier this week.
A spokesperson for the government denied that Mr. Lema’s case was politically motivated.
“All citizens, regardless of their affiliations, are subject to the same travel protocols,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam issued a statement late Friday urging Tanzanian authorities to “respect the right of all citizens to freedom of movement and access to medical care.”
As of Saturday, Mr. Lema remained in Arusha and had not yet reported to Dodoma. His legal team is reportedly preparing to file a formal complaint with the country’s Human Rights and Good Governance Commission.
The incident has intensified fears among opposition parties that the upcoming elections may be marred by repression and intimidation — a concern that echoes past voting cycles in the East African nation.
