Ndugai urges Lissu to return without delay

Dar es Salaam. Speaker of the National Assembly Job Ndugai has said there is not intention to strip Tundu Lissu of his parliamentary seat due to his long absence, but that the lawmaker must return home immediately.

Reacting to the Singida East constituency MP’s statement that he post on social media yesterday claiming that there were plans to “unseat” him, Mr Ndugai said there was no such plan. “[Lissu’s] claims are unfounded,” he said in a phone interview with Mwananchi yesterday.

Mr Lissu, who has been out of the country for medical treatment for more than a year after a failed assassination attempt on September 7, 2017 said in his social media post that the plot to unseat him will fail the same way the attempt on his life failed.

Despite saying that Parliament does not plan to unseat Mr Lissu, the Speaker said the fiery lawmaker must return home immediately or face disciplinary measures.

He warned, however, that Mr Lissu’s continued stay outside the country now that he had already recovered could, indeed, complicate issues because he was taken out of the country for treatment by his party without following proper procedures. “Mr Lissu has recuperated. He needs to stop creating fake news and return home. We are waiting for him,” Mr Ndugai noted.

He added: “Most importantly he has to understand his continued stay abroad does not have Parliament’s approval.”

Mr Ndugai further said; “It is strange! While other MPs continue to perform their daily national duties, he unnecessarily wastes time abroad. It is against Parliament’s Standing Orders. I, therefore, order him to return home,” said the Speaker.

However, Mr Ndugai declined to give more details on Parliament decision on the matter saying “I will provide further details about the matter once he returns home, whether he will be penalised or not,” said Mr Ndugai.

On September 7, 2017 Mr Lissu was sprayed with more than 20 bullets just before he disembarked from his car after arriving at his Dodoma home for a lunch break after attending the morning Parliament session.

He was airlifted to Nairobi after first aid surgery at the Dodoma Regional Hospital and was, four months later, transferred to Belgium for specialized treatment .

He was released from hospital earlier this month and has, since, embarked on a tour of Europe. In an interview with the BBC Swahili Service this week he said the government has the responsibility of assuring his safety upon his return.

In a previous interview earlier this month Mr Lissu revealed his presidential ambitions for the forthcoming 2020 General Election.