Ali Kibao, a member of Tanzania’s opposition party Chadema, was found dead after being abducted, beaten, and doused with acid.
Kibao, a member of Chadema’s national secretariat, was reportedly forced off a bus at gunpoint by suspected security agents on Friday, September 6, while traveling from Dar es Salaam to Tanga.
Speaking to the media, Chadema Chairman Freeman Mbowe narrated that Kibao was traveling by bus from Dar es Salaam to the north-eastern port city of Tanga before he was abducted and taken away from the bus by two armed men, according to eyewitnesses.
According to Mbowe, his body was discovered on the night of Saturday, September 7, in the Ununio waterfront district of Dar es Salaam.
Furthermore, the post-mortem found that Kibao had been “severely beaten and had acid poured on his face”, Mbowe told the AFP news agency.
Ali Kibao Career
Kibao, aged 69, was a retired military intelligence officer who had previously worked with both opposition parties and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) before joining Chadema in 2008.
In the year 2000, the late Ali Mohamed Kibao, after retiring from the Tanzanian People’s Defense Forces (TPDF) for reasons unknown, joined the Civic United Front (CUF) party.
He went to Handeni to contest for the parliamentary seat of the Handeni Constituency, alongside Abdallah Kigoda, who was running for the Tanga Urban seat.
A day before the deadline for submitting nomination forms, it was reported that Ali Kibao had been abducted.
He later resurfaced in CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi), where he was given the position of regional secretary.
Eventually, he left CCM and joined Chadema, where he remained until his death.
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Opposition Leaders Arrested in Tanzania
Last month, Chadema raised concerns that several key figures, including former presidential candidate Tundu Lissu, party Secretary-General John Mnyika, and hundreds of youth supporters, were detained en masse ahead of a planned rally for International Youth Day.
The government accused the organizers of intending to stage a violent demonstration.
The murder of Kibao has raised eyebrows among opposition members and human rights groups about a possible crackdown on political dissent.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu condemned the “brutal acts” and called for an investigation into the murder.
“I have ordered the investigation agencies to bring me detailed information about this terrible incident and others like this as soon as possible,” she said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“Our country is a democracy, and every citizen has the right to live,” she added
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EU, UK, Canada Condemn Abduction His Killing
Meanwhile, the European Union Heads of Mission, along with the British High Commission, the Canadian High Commission, and the embassies of Norway and Switzerland, have issued a joint statement condemning the abduction and killing of Chadema cadre Mohammed Ali Kibao.
“The Delegation of the European Union, in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Tanzania, the High Commission of Canada, the Embassy of Norway, the Embassy of Switzerland, and the British High Commission, is deeply concerned about the recent reports of violence, disappearances, and deaths of political and human rights activists.
We call for a thorough investigation into these events and extend our condolences to the families of the victims,” the statement read.
The statement continued: “We urge the Tanzanian government to uphold the promises made by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ‘4R’ plan, ensuring protection for the opposition and safeguarding the fundamental rights of the people, including freedom of expression.”
They further welcomed Samia Suluhu’s call for an immediate investigation to identify the responsible criminals and to ensure that accountability is upheld.
“We note with great concern that these recent developments threaten democratic values and the rights of Tanzanian citizens, in a country that is respected globally for peace and stability, and we join the call to safeguard the peace and stability of the country.”
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