Ailing Bulaya airlifted to Muhimbili

Bunda Urban MP Ester Bulaya at Tarime District Hospital yesterday. Ms Bulaya fell ill and was admitted following her arrest on Sunday in Tarime for allegedly involving herself in politics outside her constituency. PHOTO | WAITARA MENG’ANYI

Dar/Tarime. Bunda Urban MP Esther Bulaya was yesterday evening airlifted to the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) for further treatment after falling ill in police custody over the weekend.

Ms Bulaya was transferred to the national facility shortly after she was released on bail after spending three days in detention.

The firebrand legislator, who was arrested on Friday in Tarime for allegedly doing politics outside her constituency, fell ill while in detention and was rushed to hospital on Sunday for treatment, but her condition deteriorated.

Ms Bulaya’s charges were read to her at Tarime District Hospital and managed to secure a Sh20 million bail bond.

According to Chadema spokesperson, Mr Tumaini Makene, Ms Bulaya was in critical condition when the charges were read as she was not able to speak and had difficulty in breathing.

“After her release, she was rushed to Mara Regional Hospital but due to her condition, she got a referral to the MNH…she remains in a critical condition as we speak,” noted Mr Makene.

Chadema’s secretary for Mara Region Mr Chacha Heche said the MP’s bail and medical referral was made possible after securing three sureties, including her lawyer, Mr Alex Masaba, Tarime Urban MP Ms Esther Matiko and the chairperson of Songambele ‘B’ Street, Pamba Chacha.

Mr Heche explained that before her release, Tarime’s Officer Commanding District (OCD), Mr Thomas Mapuli visited the MP at the hospital.

The air ambulance that carried the sick lawmaker left Tarime Town at 01:45pm for the regional hospital in Musoma.

Ms Bulaya recently won a gruesome court battle after the Court of Appeal dismissed with costs an appeal against her victory filed by four residents, who voted for the defeated CCM parliamentary candidate, Stephen Wasira, during the 2015 parliamentary election.

Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal Elizabeth Mkwizu said the alleged irregularities the appellants presented to move the court to unseat the current MP did not affect election results.

Mr Wassira’s supporters - Mr Magambo Masato, Ms Janeth Ezekiel, Mr Ascetic Mlagila and Mr Matwiga Matwiga - raised six grounds seeking the court to unseat Ms Bulaya, including Bulaya’s failure to produce an election budget as per the Election Expenses Act No 6 of 2010.