Queries as Lissu arrested

What you need to know:

He was on his way to Kigali, Rwanda to attend a meeting of presidents East African Community (EAC) member states bar associations.

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

He was on his way to Kigali, Rwanda to attend a meeting of presidents East African Community (EAC) member states bar associations.

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

Chadema’s Protocol, Communication and Foreign Affairs director John Mrema told The Citizen that they 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 is really there and why he was arrested,” said Mr Mrema.

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

He said he had information that plainclothes police went to his Dar es Salaam residence to arrest him and feared they must have communicated with the Dodoma police to arrest him. He only left after Dodoma police boss Lazaro Mambosasa assured him that there was no such plan.

On Monday, Mr Lissu appealed to the international community to cut financial aid to President Magufuli’s administration as measures 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.