Freeman Aikaeli Mbowe (born 1961) is a veteran Tanzanian politician, businessman, and the former Chairman of the Party for Democracy and Progress (CHADEMA). For 21 years (2004–2025), Mbowe was the supreme architect of Tanzania's opposition, transforming CHADEMA from a marginal party into a formidable political machine that fundamentally threatened the ruling CCM party's hegemony. He served as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament from 2010 to 2020. Mbowe's leadership was characterized by strategic diplomacy and resilience. In 2021, he was infamously jailed for 8 months on fabricated terrorism charges by the Samia administration before being released to spearhead the \"Maridhiano\" (reconciliation) talks. However, grassroots frustration over the slow pace of these talks led to his defeat by his fiery deputy, Tundu Lissu, in the January 2025 party elections. Despite his ouster, Mbowe remains a deeply respected elder statesman of Tanzanian democracy.