Lissu arrested at Julius Nyerere International Airport en route to Kigali

What you need to know:

Mr Lissu was on his way to Kigali Rwanda to attend a meeting of presidents East Africa Community (EAC) member states bar associations.

Dar es Salaam. Singida East MP (Chadema) and President of Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) Tundu Lissu was on Thursday evening arrested at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA).

Mr Lissu was on his way to Kigali Rwanda to attend a meeting of presidents East Africa Community (EAC) member states bar associations.

Airport Police Commander Martin Otieno confirmed the arrest and said Mr Lissu was taken to central police station for interrogations. He however did not give details as why they made the arrest.

Chadema’s Director for Protocol, Communication and Foreign Affairs John Mrema told The Citizen that they have also received the arrest information and were mobilising their lawyers. 

“We have already called our advocates and they are on their way to the central police station, first to ascertain if he really there and why he was arrested,” said Mr Mrema.

On Wednesday, Mr Lissu who is also a Chief Legal Officer for Chadema refused to leave Dodoma District Court for over three hours to avoid being arrested by police.

He said his wife informed him that plainclothes police arrived at his Dar es Salaam resident to arrest and feared they must have communicated with their colleagues in Dodoma to arrest him. He only left when Dodoma police boss Lazaro Mambosasa assured him he was not going to be arrested.

On Monday, Mr Lissu appealed to the international community to cut financial support to President Magufuli’s administration as efforts to press for respect for principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

The government through the director of Information Services Dr Hassan Abbas was dismayed by the remarks which he said were inflammatory.