This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
On July 29, 2019, police in Tanzania detained journalist Erick Kabendera, a freelance writer for various local and international publications, including The EastAfrican, over a probe into his citizenship.
According to Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa, Kabendera was arrested at his home in a Dar es Salaam suburb after he refused to go to the police station on his own, despite being summoned.
Commander Mambosasa stated that Kabendera was provided with a formal police summons last week but did not comply, leading to his arrest on Monday evening. He emphasized that Kabendera was not abducted but was arrested due to suspicions surrounding his citizenship.
“Kabendera was provided with a formal police summons last week, but he did not comply. He was arrested -- not abducted -- on Monday due to suspicions surrounding his citizenship,” the police chief said.
During the arrest, six men in plain clothes, who identified themselves as police officers, whisked Kabendera away from his home. A relative reported that the officers did not show any identity cards and confiscated both Kabendera's and his wife's mobile phones.
Commander Mambosasa stated that Kabendera is being held at the Central Police Station in Dar es Salaam’s city centre. He assured the public that further information will be provided once the investigation is complete.
