| THE ruling party is wary of the pace of the opposition candidate in Tanzania five days ahead of the election day. Overwhelmed by the people’s massive resistance against the incumbent’s demagogic, brutal and autocratic politics, the ruling party is employing police to disrupt the public rallies of the opposition candidate, Tundu Lissu, as a way of intimidating and disappointing his supporters. On Friday morning, Lissu was scheduled to hold a public rally at Somanga area in Kilwa District, Lindi Region, but before he wound up his speech, police brutally fired tear gas at his audience to disperse them. Lissu and his bodyguard remained calm on the podium watching in awe as police attempted to disperse the crowd. But the masses regained confidence and gathered again, chanting in unison: “rais, rais, rais” (president, president, president) until Lissu boarded his helicopter to another destination. SAUTI KUBWA understands that this police action was ordered by the local ward executive who, under normal circumstances, has no mandate over police, and has nothing to do with presidential campaigns – as per standing electoral laws. This is a continuation of police’s barbaric and unconstitutional acts against the opposition in Tanzania, geared at rescuing the incumbent, John Magufuli, whose brutal, violent and dictatorial leadership in the past five years has earned him a negative profile among ordinary Tanzanians, much as his government boasts of executing some mega-projects in the infrastructure industry. |
Magufuli’s police throw tear gas at opposition presidential candidate’s public rally in Kilwa
