The Chairman of Tanzania’s
main opposition party (CHADEMA) and leader of opposition in the National
Assembly, Freeman Mbowe, who was attacked last night by unknown assailants has been
airlifted to the commercial city of Dar
es Salaam where he is expected to undergo further treatment.
According to the party’s Chief-whip, Ester Bulaya, the outspoken politician suffered a broken leg as result of the attack which police say they are investigating.
“We are flying him on a chartered plane to Dar es Salaam for further examination and treatment.” Said Bulaya adding that this is the continuation of attacks against opposition leaders at their homes in Dodoma, the development that is unacceptable.
It is, however, unclear which hospital the opposition
leader is taken to as party officials have maintained silence over his next destination.
At the Dodoma hospital several party cadres,
friends, relatives were seen as Mbowe was about to board a waiting ambulance to
the airport.
Earlier in the day several top government officials official such as Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, Speaker Job Ndugai, Deputy Speaker Tulia Ackson and Dodoma Regional Commissioner visited the injured opposition leader at his hospital bed where he is nursing a fractured right leg.
The Speaker of national assembly has called
upon security organs to expedite investigations because the longer they take
the more they leave it to speculation.
He reassured legislators who are meeting in Dodoma that the city was safe and he believes that by tomorrow evening Police will have something to say about the attack.
Earlier today, the CHADEMA Secretary General,
John Mnyika, challenged the Dodoma Regional Police Commander, Gilles Muroto, to
investigate thoroughly and arrest the attackers as he said that it was a normal
attack like others.
“How did the RPC know that the brutal attack against key opposition
leader is normal like others happening in Dodoma city? Let him arrest the
suspects and arraign them to court.” Mnyika said.
He further said that after failed assassination
attempt of former opposition Chief-whip, Tundu Lissu, in September 2017 the government thereafter, amended the
law that now forbids formation of political parties’ security groups.
Mbowe who used to have government security detail as leader of opposition in the national assembly, did not have the guards at the time of attack as they were removed by government some weeks ago. - Africa
No comments:
Post a Comment