Lissu
Tanzanian opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, and two of his top aides were on Sunday September 10 arrested for unlawful assembly.
According to a statement by CHADEMA, Tanzania’s opposition party, Lissu was arrested at a hotel in Arusha town together with other party officials.
“Hotel attendants said police asked the room where our Vice Chairman (Lissu) was staying in, they were told and went in … after arguments with Lissu’s security, police entered his room by force and took him away without telling where they were going,” the party said in a statement on social media platform X.
The opposition party noted that after detaining Lissu, the police also arrested his security aides and at least two senior party officials.
Arusha Regional Police Chief Justine Masejo in a statement said they had detained Lissu and three others for questioning regarding allegations that they were having an unlawful assembly and obstructing police from executing their jobs.
“After the interrogations and completion of other procedures, further legal actions will be taken,” the police chief stated.
Lissu returned to Tanzania in January this year after being in exile in Belgium since 2020.
He returned after Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu overturned a six-year prohibition on political rallies.
Lissu has been holding political rallies across the country since his return from exile.
During the rallies, Lissu has been chastising Suluhu’s government for its handling of a contentious port management deal as well as human rights issues.
In 2017, the opposition leader was shot 16 times in what was largely regarded to be a politically motivated attack.
Also Read: Tanzania`s Opposition Leader Flees For Europe Amid Magufuli Crackdown
