Drop all cases facing our cadres, says Chadema

Dar es Salaam. Opposition party Chadema’s Youth Council has said that over 400 cases facing some of its cadres have been dropped, however there are several of its leaders who are still languishing in jails in various parts of the country charged with politically motivated cases.

Chairman Bavicha, John Pambalu said the reconciliation team should go further so that the remaining cases are dropped because there are some of their cadres who are still in prison charged with politically related cases.

He said that for the past one year, some cases involving leaders and supporters of Chadema ended in different ways including the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropping charges.

On March 4, 2022, Chadema’s national chairman Freeman Mbowe and his three co-accused were acquitted of all the charges they were facing in the High Court Division of Corruption and Economic Sabotage.

Mbowe and his colleagues were released after the DPP submitted a document of no intention to continue with the case that had lasted in the court for more than eight months.

On November 16, the High Court of Tanzania sitting in the Shinyanga Region acquitted two Chadema cadres, Katala Kikaja and Ng'hulima Lilanga, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for theft, armed robbery and rape.

The decision was handed down by Judge Athuman Matuma after he was convinced with the arguments of the appellants that the evidence that convicted them on April 12, 2022 was weak, questionable and unacceptable by the law.

Chadema's Southern Highlands Secretary, Gwamaka Mbughi said that the region had 33 cases and of those 32 have been dropped.

Speaking about the council's strategies after the recent lifting of the ban on political rallis, Pambalu said they will go to universities and colleges.

He said that after the first rally expected to be held on January 21 in Dar es Salaam and followed by regional schedules, the council will start its meetings.

"In those meetings, we will continue with the agenda of the new Constitution and ensure it is achieved, increasing the registration of members through the digital system in parallel with holding intra-party elections," he said.

In addition, he said other strategies include strengthening the party in colleges by using Chadema Queens and holding meetings in Zanzibar.

On January 3, President Samia Suluhu Hassan lifted the ban on political rallies that had been banned since 2016.

Speaking at his meeting with leaders of political parties held at State House Dar es Salaam, she said the rallies were legal and it is the right of political parties to conduct them.