Family say dem kidnap Tanzanian ex-ambassador and govment critic for im house

Unknown individuals don kidnap former Tanzanian ambassador and govment from im house, family tok.

Humphrey Polepole broda tell di BBC say di alleged abduction happun early mor-mor on Monday, 6 September for im house for Dar es Salaam.

"We enta di house wia e dey live and see say di door don break, electric wires don cut, and large amount of blood spill for floor," Godfrey Polepole, di younger brother of di former ambassador tok. Dem don share videos of di bloody incident online.

Di family don report di mata to police afta dem visit di residence. Dar es Salaam police chief Jumanne Muliro tok say dem dey follow up on di incident.

Di police boss question di reported attack, e tell di BBC say di former ambassador to Cuba " often dey claim say im dey out of di kontri".

"So how dis fit happun for im home for Tanzania?" e ask.

"In short, just as you dey follow dis tori, na so I also dey follow di incident becos we also wan know wetin really dey happun," e tok.

National police tok-tok pesin David Misime don issue one statement wey confam say dem see di reports online and dem dey investigate am.

E tok say dem still dey expect Polepole to respond to summon and record from di statement about di allegations since e resign for July.

Polepole resign from im ambassadorial post earlier dis year afta e publicly criticise di govment.

E tok say im no fit be part of di administration wey dey disrespect justice, di rule of law, and constitutional principles.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan later revoke im appointment and formally strip am of im diplomatic status.

Afta dat, e don make online allegations against govment institutions and officials.

E bin also allege say afta im resignation, armed individuals don dey loiter near im house and dey harass im family. E claim say dem don raid im house two times, and e don report to police for investigations, but no progress.

Last month, di police open one file against am, dem tok say di allegations fit amount to criminal offences. Dem also direct am to report to di Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to assist wit investigations.

"Under di law, evidence dey required to substantiate such claims for court," Oga Misime tok.

Tanzania dey due to hold dia general elections on 29 October for di middle of a tense environment.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan dey run for a second and final term in office, afta she take office for 2021 following di death of John Magufuli.

Dem bin hail her initially for giving Tanzanians greater political freedom but she don face widespread criticism sake of increasing repression, wey include crackdown on political parties and civil society.

Dem don ban di main opposition party, Chadema, say make dem no participate for di polls, and dia leader Tundu Lissu dey detained since April.

Luhaga Mpina candidate of di second biggest opposition party ACT-Wazalendo also dey disqualified from running for di election, wey leave only di candidates from minor parties to face President Samia.

In recent months, cases of abductions wey mostly target anti-government critics and opposition voices don also dey on di rise for di kontri.

Humphrey Hesron Polepole profile

Dem born Polepole on November 25, 1981, for Tanzania. E attend University of Dar-es-Salaam. Afta e graduate, e join public service wia e serve as Nominated Member of Parliament, District Commissioner, and even as CCM Secretary for Ideology, Publicity, and Training.

For April 2012, President Kikwete appoint am as one of di 30-member Constitutional Review Commission. Polepole participate for nationwide public consultations from 2012–2014, e collect views from ova 350,000 citizens to process di structural reforms, wey include one independent electoral commission, union restructuring, and anti-corruption measures for Tanzania.

After di constitutional process stop under President Magufuli (2015–2021), Polepole continue to dey advocate for di cleaning of CCM, through im online television program, Shule ya Uongozi, or Leadership School.

In December, 2021, di Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) suspend di programme on allegations say e dey publish "false news"

Polepole also serve as Tanzania High Commissioner to Malawi bifor dem transfer am to Cuba in 2023.

In July, 2025, e resign from im position as di ambassador, e tok say im don loss faith for President Samia leadership and CCM direction inside im resignation letter.

Jeshi la Polisi linaendelea kumsubiri Ndg. Humphrey Polepole aripoti katika ofisi ya Mkurugenzi wa Upelelezi wa Makosa ya Jinai pic.twitter.com/pKaWHz4KU0

— Police Force TZ (@tanpol) October 6, 2025