Chadema: Police are on the way to search Lissu’s house

Singida East MP (Chadema) and President of Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) Tundu Lissu

What you need to know:

  • Lissu who is also the party’s Chief Legal Officer was arrested at the Kisutu Magistrate Court premises on August 22.
  • Lissu was at the court for a separate case he is representing Yericko Nyerere who is charged of giving false information during 2015 General Election campaigns.

Dar es Salaam. Police are taking Singida East MP (Chadema) and President of Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) Tundu Lissu to his house in Tegeta for inspection, according to party officials.

Lissu who is also the party’s Chief Legal Officer was arrested at the Kisutu Magistrate Court premises on August 22.

Lissu was at the court for a separate case he is representing Yericko Nyerere who is charged of giving false information during 2015 General Election campaigns.

“While a car carrying Mr Lissu was making its way out of the court, suddenly, it was blocked by two vehicles full armed police officers,” said the party’s spokesperson, Tumaini Makene on Tuesday adding: “They (police) ordered him (Lissu) out of his car and told him he was under arrest and he’s needed at central station before whisking him away in one of their vehicles.”

According to the party, Lissu is held for two counts of incitements on the seizure of government aircraft in Canada.

On August 18 Mr Lissu addressed a press conference claiming that he had evidence showing that the government’s new commercial aircraft, Bombardier Q400, which was expected to be delivered in the country last month, has been seized in Canada due to the government’s failure to pay compensation of $38.7 million (Sh83 billion) to the Canadian firm, Stirling Civil Engineering.

A day later the government said it was going to take stern measures to some opposition figures who are ‘sabotaging’ development projects initiated by President John Magufuli.

The warning was by the acting director of Information Department Services and Chief Government Spokesperson, Ms Zamaradi Kawawa, when addressing media on  the ‘Bombardier fiasco’ which she claimed was part of ‘dirty games’ engineered by some members of the opposition bent to taint the government.

Ms Kawawa admitted that indeed the plane was seized but shifted the blame on some opposition figures that she said had a direct hand in the seizure and that already investigations are underway so that they would be arrested.