Tanzania’s Education Minister responds to reports about a UDOM lecturer's arrest
By Janeth Joseph (Mwananchi)
Moshi — Prof. Adolf Mkenda, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, has acknowledged social media chatter about the arrest of a University of Dodoma (UDOM) lecturer. He indicated that initial information points to actions outside the university rather than within its walls.
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, online posts claimed that an unnamed lecturer was arrested by police for allegedly persuading students on December 8 to join demonstrations planned for Independence Day on December 9.
Speaking with Mwananchi, The Citizen’s sister publication, Prof. Mkenda said he began verifying the reports trending online by contacting relevant authorities. He emphasized that the issue is being handled by the appropriate authorities.
“I have seen the information circulating on social media about the lecturer’s arrest for the reasons mentioned. I spoke with the Minister for Home Affairs, who said the matter is under investigation. However, preliminary information suggests the lecturer was arrested for actions conducted outside the university, not within the institution,” Prof. Mkenda stated.
He underscored that lecturers enjoy academic freedom in their teaching so long as they maintain professional standards and ethical conduct, adding that police involvement in classroom teaching is neither expected nor acceptable.
“Fundamentally, lecturers may teach freely, but this must align with professionalism and academic ethics. It is not appropriate for police to enter classrooms to oversee what is taught. If a lecturer fails to meet professional or ethical standards, universities have internal administrative procedures to address such issues,” he said.
Prof. Mkenda also highlighted that universities have established leadership and governance structures to manage misconduct, including heads of departments, deputy vice chancellors, faculty deans, and senates.
“We do not expect police to supervise classroom teaching. That would be an overreach and is not a reality,” he added.
He reaffirmed that lecturers must teach in accordance with professional principles, ethics, and competence, stressing that any breach should be resolved through internal university processes rather than police intervention.
