Chadema’s Brenda Rupia arrested over alleged false and seditious statements

Arusha. Police have confirmed the arrest of Chadema’s Director of Communications and Publicity, Ms Brenda Rupia, over allegations of issuing false and seditious information.

In a public statement issued on Saturday, July 12, 2025, the Police Force stated that Ms Rupia was being held for questioning and that further legal procedures would follow in accordance with national laws.

“The Tanzania Police Force would like to inform the public that Brenda Rupia has been arrested for interrogation over allegations of spreading false and inflammatory information. Subsequent legal procedures will follow as per the country’s laws,” the statement said.

Earlier, Chadema’s Director of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mr John Kitoka, released a separate statement claiming that Ms Rupia had initially been denied entry into Kenya and was being held by authorities at the Namanga border.

According to Mr Kitoka, Ms Rupia was on her way to Nairobi for a scheduled meeting before travelling to Munich, Germany, where she was due to attend a training programme on democracy and elections.

“We have received credible information indicating that authorities are planning to forcibly return her to Dar es Salaam,” the statement alleged.

Mr Kitoka said the incident reflects ongoing systemic repression targeting Chadema leaders, including denial of the right to travel for political engagement.

He cited similar incidents involving the party’s Deputy Secretary General (Mainland), Mr Amani Golugwa, who was reportedly barred from travelling abroad, and the Finance Committee Chair, Mr Godbless Lema, who was also prevented from international travel.

“Chadema condemns these continued actions aimed at silencing opposition voices and restricting political participation in regional and international forums,” the statement said.

The party demanded Ms Rupia’s immediate and unconditional release and called on the government to respect constitutional rights, including freedom of movement.

When contacted by Mwananchi, the Arusha Regional Immigration Officer, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (SACI) Fakih Nyakunga, said he had no official information on the incident.

In a similar case, Mr Lema was blocked from crossing the Namanga border on June 6, 2025, while en route to Kenya for medical treatment. He claimed to have been informed he was on a no-travel list after undergoing facial and fingerprint scans.

On May 13, 2025, Mr Golugwa was also stopped at Julius Nyerere International Airport while preparing to board a flight to Belgium for an International Democrat Union (IDU) meeting.