More violence as Tendwa censures CCM, Chadema
Political parties registrar, John Tendwa speaks to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO | RAFAEL LUBAVA
What you need to know:
- Several ambulances were heading to hospital with the injured while scores of Chadema leaders are believed to have been picked up by heavily-armed police.
Dar/Arusha. Arusha exploded into chaos yesterday as police and mobs fought running battles over a meeting that had been declared illegal. Business came to a standstill as riot police fired teargas at Chadema supporters determined to defy an order to leave the scene of Saturday’s grenade attack.
Meanwhile, the Registrar of Political Parties, Mr John Tendwa, told CCM and Chadema to stop politicising issues of national security.
In Arusha, gunfire rent the air as police and mobs at Kaloleni played a cat-and-mouse game in the northern city. Chaos erupted shortly after 3pm when Chadema leaders, including MPs who had just arrived from Dodoma, started to address the surging crowd. Gunfire was still rocking the city by 5pm.
Several ambulances were heading to hospital with the injured while scores of Chadema leaders are believed to have been picked up by heavily-armed police.
The confrontation between police and the protestors extended to the inner city, mainly targeting people in groups. Other law enforcers appeared to fire into the air to scare anyone trying to get close to Kaloleni.
Traffic came to a standstill along the busy Moshi-Nairobi highway as armed policemen in open vehicles directed their anger at youths who had barricaded the roads with stones.
Mr Tundu Lissu, the opposition chief whip and MP for Singida East, and three other Chadema MPs including Mustapha Akunaay (Mbulu), Said Arfi (Mpanda Urban) and Joyce Mukya (Special seats) were arrested for addressing an illegal assembly, according to official reports.
“We have arrested Mr Lissu, three other MPs and other Chadema supporters because of illegal assembly,” Head of Operations and Training Paul Chagonja told a local radio station. “They are likely to spend the night in custody because we will have to question them and follow other police procedures that might take long.”
He denied rumours that Mr Lissu had been killed in the confrontation between Chadema supporters and police and confirmed that the MP was safe and sound in police custody.
At a press conference earlier, Mr Chagonja said three people had been arrested in connection with the bomb attack and were being questioned. Yesterday’s chaos in Arusha comes after a day of exchanges between the ruling party, CCM, cabinet ministers, the police and Chadema.
CCM accused Chadema of staging the bomb attack for political gain and Chadema officials said they had photographic evidence of a police officer throwing the grenade into the crowd.
But the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliament), Mr William Lukuvi, said in Parliament that there were reports that Chadema supporters blocked the police from pursuing the bomber.
Amidst the blame game and politicking, the Registrar of Political Parties, Mr John Tendwa, warned Chadema and CCM against politicising issues concerning national security because they risked plunging the nation into chaos.
Addressing a press conference in Dar es Salaam, Mr Tendwa urged the two parties to submit their evidence on who sponsored the attack to the police. He added: “This is what happens in a civic by-election. What should we expect in the constitutional referendum later this year, or in the countrywide grassroots elections next year or even in the General Election the following year? Will we come out safe? I am planning to meet both CCM, Chadema and police officials to discuss the matter. “We should find a lasting solution. There is no way our peace and stability can be tampered with. I strongly warn the political parties to stop accusing each other and stick to delivering evidence that will see the culprits arraigned.”
Meanwhile, Chadema yesterday called on President Jakaya Kikwete to form an independent judicial team to investigate the rising extra-judicial killings during political rallies. The party says it has lost faith in the police force. Chadema accuses police officers of all the killings, including last week’s bombing in Arusha, and is also questioning whether the force has what it takes to carry out an impartial inquest.
