Zitto charged with three counts, released on bail

What you need to know:

  • Kigoma Urban MP Zitto Kabwe has already spent two nights in the police custody and today, he was taken to court where he’s charged with three counts of incitement. He was later released on bail.

Dar es Salaam. Opposition ACT Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe has been charged with three incitement counts on Friday, November 2 at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court after spending two nights in police custody.

Mr Kabwe who is Kigoma Urban Member of Parliament was released after securing a bail.

At the court, senior state attorney Tumain Kweka told Principal Resident Magistrate Huduma Shahidi that the accused committed the said offenses on Sunday, October 28, during a press conference at ACT Wazalendo headquarters in Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam.

In the first count, Mr Kweka argued that during the press conference, with the intent to sow hatred among citizens against the Police Force, he uttered words of incitement.

Mr Kweka stated that Zitto’s claims that when four injured people were taken to Nguruka Health Centre for treatment, police went to the hospital where the injured were killed, hence this was incitement which aimed at implanting fear and hatred.

In the second count, the court was told that Mr Kabwe told a press conference after following the situation in Mpeta they found that many people had been killed, in spite of the fact that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro had arrived at the scene and law enforcers were yet to release any information.

In the third incitement count, Mr Kabwe is accused of saying reports they were receiving from Uvinza were intimidating because they were being told that over 100 people of Wanyantuzu tribe have been shot dead.

The case has been adjourned until November 26.