- Chadema’s Godbless Lema was stopped at the Namanga border while heading to Kenya.
- His passport was seized, and he was told he was on a travel ban list.
- Lema says it’s part of a wider plan to silence critics ahead of the October elections.
- He had returned from exile last year, hopeful for reforms.
- His case comes weeks after Tanzanian authorities deported Kenyan activists.
Tanzanian opposition leader Godbless Lema faced a dramatic turn of events on Friday after he was stopped from exiting the country to seek urgent medical care in Kenya. He said he was held for over four hours at the Namanga border before immigration officers ordered him back to Arusha.
Lema, who represents the Chadema Party, had his passport confiscated and was informed that his name was on a “stop list”, meaning he cannot legally leave Tanzania.
Taking to social media, Lema called the move a political attack, accusing the Samia Suluhu government of trying to intimidate and silence opposition leaders ahead of the coming October general elections.
“After waiting for more than 4 hours, I have officially been denied entry to Kenya. My passport has been taken away, and I am now expected to go back to Arusha… I hope this persecution will end with us and should not be passed down to our children,” Lema posted on X.
Crackdown Worries Mount Ahead of Elections
Lema had previously fled to exile in 2020, returning to Tanzania in 2023 after being assured that political reforms were on the way. However, the recent border drama has raised fresh doubts about freedom and democracy in the country.
His case follows the recent arrest and deportation of Kenyan human rights activists from Tanzania—a move that sparked regional alarm over growing political repression.
In another concerning development, Bishop Josephat Gwajima, a controversial MP and preacher, saw his church shut down shortly after he spoke out against forced disappearances in the country.
As Tanzania approaches the election period, critics fear a return to past authoritarian tactics, with opposition voices being increasingly targeted or blocked. The situation continues to draw attention from both local and international observers.
