Govt: Chadema to blame for lack of progress on Lissu shooting’s investigation

What you need to know:

  • The Home Affairs deputy minister Hamad Masauni said in Parliament this morning, Friday September 14, during the question and answer session, that Police investigation on Lissu’s shooting would be quicker if Chadema cooperated by producing Adam Simon for questioning.

Dodoma. The government has said Chadema’s failure to avail the driver of Tundu Lissu for questioning by the Police has stalled investigation on the shooting of the fiery opposition MP that took place last year in Dodoma.

The Home Affairs deputy minister Hamad Masauni said in Parliament this morning, Friday September 14, during the question and answer session, that Police investigation on Lissu’s shooting would be quicker if Chadema cooperated by producing Adam Simon for questioning.

He was responding to a question posed by Ubungo MP Said Kubenea (Chadema) who wanted to know when the government will complete investigations over Tundu Lissu's assassination attempt, Absalom Kibanda’s assault of March 2013, Dr Stephen Ulimboka’s kidnapping and torture in June 2012 and the disappearance of Mwananchi Communication Ltd's  journalist Azory Gwanda late last year.

“Police investigations depend on a lot of factors including cooperation by the victims. In the case of Tundu Lissu his party Chadema has failed to make his driver available to Police for questioning,” Masauni noted.

Mr Lissu, Chadema’s MP for Singida East was shot several times by unidentified people in September 7, 2017 as he was arriving at his home from attending a morning parliamentary session but his driver Adam Simon escaped unhurt. Simon, as a key eyewitness, has not yet been questioned by the Police over the incident.

"We believe the driver has first-hand information since he was at the scene,” said Mr Masauni.

But Mr Lissu who is receiving treatment in Belgium, was recently quoted by The Citizen as denying claims that his driver sneaked to Belgium.

"There are some people who are spreading lies that my driver knows the secret behind my attack and that party (Chadema) chairman played a role in hiding him," noted Mr Lissu.

 

However, Mr Masauni urged the public to give support by providing the much needed information to help the police force to do its job.