Police in Tanzania have arrested the chairman of the main opposition party in the wake of a disputed election. Freeman Mbowe was detained, along with two other Chadema leaders, for planning violent protests, police said. Police have said that intelligence reports suggested that the opposition was planning to burn down markets and petrol stations. Chadema presidential candidate Tundu Lissu was released after being briefly detained in the main city Dar es Salaam. He had rejected President John Magufuli’s victory in last week’s election, saying the vote was rigged. Chadema called for peaceful demonstrations to demand fresh elections. Over the weekend, the leaders of Chadema, including Mr Mbowe, and another opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, urged their supporters to come out in large numbers to peacefully protest and demand fresh elections. Mr Lissu alleged last week that his party agents had been prevented from entering some polling stations where ballot boxes were tampered with.
SOURCE: BBC