Tensions at Dar es Salaam hospital mortuary over access to post-mortem of Tanzanian opposition politician’s body

Dar es Salaam. Confusion erupted at Mwananyamala Hospital Mortuary on Sunday, September 8, 2024 as tensions flared between members of the opposition party, Chadema and the mortuary security staff over access to a post-mortem examination.

The conflict arose when a lawyer representing Chadema, Mr Hekima Mwasipu, was denied entry to witness the post-mortem of Ali Kibao, a party member whose body was being examined.

The situation deteriorated when family members and Chadema supporters arrived to view and confirm that the deceased was indeed Kibao.

Security personnel at the mortuary maintained that only the family of the deceased was permitted to attend the procedure. This restriction led to a heated argument as Chadema members, including their lawyer, sought to gain access. The disagreement escalated when Chadema representatives attempted to forcefully include their legal team in the post-mortem, resulting in a confrontation with the security staff.

Kibao, a member of the Chadema Secretariat, was reported missing on the evening of September 6, 2024. He was traveling from Dar es Salaam to Tanga on a Tashrif bus when he was forcibly removed from the vehicle by unknown individuals. But Chadema said on Sunday, September 8, 2024 that the family of Ali Kibao's has been informed of a body resembling Kibao’s at Mwananyamala Referral Hospital in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam.

This is a developing story so stay with The Citizen for further updates