Tanzanian police arrest Chadema’s Tundu Lissu
Tundu Lissu, the presidential candidate of Tanzania's main opposition Chadema party.
What you need to know:
- Dozens of other opposition officials and supporters across the country have been arrested in connection with planned protests.
- Chadema and ACT Wazalendo on Saturday called for people to take to the streets for peaceful protests against last week’s election results.
Chadema presidential candidate Tundu Lissu has been arrested, Tanzanian police have confirmed.
Mr Lissu joins a growing list of opposition leaders who have been rounded up since Saturday as security personnel moved to block planned post-election protests against Tanzania’s election results that declared President John Magufuli the winner.
“We arrested him in Dar es Salaam when he was leaving the European Union (EU) head office,” Dar es Salaam Regional Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa said by phone.
It was not immediately clear who Mr Lissu was meeting at the EU’s Umoja offices.
Planned protest
“The arrest is related to planned protest which have been outlawed. We are just entering the Central Police Station,” Mr Mambosasa added.
Apart from Mr Lissu, other opposition leaders in custody include Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe, former Arusha MP Godbless Lema, former Dar es Salaam Mayor Isaya Mwita and Ubungo Mayor Boniface Jacob.
They were reportedly arrested on Sunday night ahead of the planned protest.
Dozens of other opposition officials and supporters across the country have been arrested in connection with the protest.
Chadema and ACT Wazalendo on Saturday called for people to take to the streets for peaceful protests against last week’s election results, which they say was rigged, and demand fresh polls.
However, police banned the protest saying it’s illegal.
