Tanzanian opposition leader freed, Meet President Suluhu, after seven months in custody

Tanzania’s main opposition leader Freeman Mbowe and three co-accused have walked free after state prosecutor dropped trumped up terrorism charges.

Tanzanian opposition leader, Freeman Mbowe, could not hide his joy after he was freed by the court after 7years in custody

Mbowe who is the party leader of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) chairman, and three co-accused, Halfani Hassan, Adam Kasekwa and Mohamed Ling’wenya burst into song and dance, singing Juliani’s famous song, Utawala, after the Judge freed them. The four were released after the prosecutor dropped terrorism charges levelled against them by the state.

Tanzania’s president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, later met with Freeman Mbowe hours after prosecutors dropped terrorism charges against Mbowe and set him free.

Mbowe, chairman of Chadema party, was detained last July in the lakeside town of Mwanza where he was due to attend a conference on proposals for a new constitution.

The director of public prosecutions filed a motion of no intent to proceed with the case at the High Court Division of Corruption and Economic Sabotage Offences, dropping the terrorism charges against them.

Mbowe and his lawyers have repeatedly denounced a “political” trial and demanded that the terrorism charges, which they say are “unfounded,” be dropped.

The international community, as well as civil society, has also expressed concern about the fate of the main opposition leader in Tanzania.