I’m coming back home, says Lissu
Mr Lissu speaks at a past event. He has assured Tanzanians that he will come home on Sept. 7 - come rain, come shine. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
The politician has been out of the country since September 7, 2017 after assailants pumped 16 bullets into his lower body
Dar es Salaam. Firebrand opposition politician Tundu Lissu said yesterday he is determined to return home from Belgium in broad daylight.
Mr Lissu - who recently lost his position as Member of Parliament (MP) after what was claimed to be a prolonged absence from the legislative body without informing the House Speaker - told his associates that he was through with receiving treatment under the instructions of his doctors.
Speaker Job Ndugai announced in the august House a few weeks ago that Mr Lissu’s seat had become vacant due to his (Lissu’s) failure to sign and submit the assets and liabilities declaration forms for over two years, contrary to the legal requirements.
The outspoken politician has been in Belgium since January 6, 2018 where he has been undergoing treatment having been shot multiple times by assailants hell-bent for leather on killing him in Dodoma on September 7, 2017.
The assailants shot over 30 bullets into his car, with 16 of them lodged in his lower body, thus injuring him severely.
He was immediately rushed unconscious to Dodoma General Hospital from where he was just as soon airlifted to Nairobi Hospital in Kenya where he undewent treatment for months. Then he was shifted to Belgium for specialized treatment during which he underwent over 20 operations to reconstruct his body.
“Today (July 31, 2019), I have officially completed taking all the treatment. Yesterday (July 30), I completed one month of walking without the help of crutches,” said Mr Lissu. On August 20, he will meet with his doctors for a final review of his general condition.
“After that, I will start preparations for home-coming. There will be no more reason for me to continue living in Europe.
“On September 7 (this year), I will return home in broad daylight. It will not be during the night. If the flight itinerary will be in such a way that arrival time will be at night, then I will have to change it,” he said, insisting that he will return on September 7, come shine, come rain. The date marks the second anniversary of the assassination attempt.
He said he would go to court siin thereafter to challenge the decision to strip him of his parliamentary seat.
“We are ready to go to the High Court of Tanzania any time from now to challenge that decision. All the preparations have been completed,” he said.
