Chadema says they have lost trust in the Inspector General of Police

Dar es Salaam. The main opposition, Chadema, said yesterday they have lost confidence in the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro, accusing him of being used to foster the interests of the ruling party CCM by oppressing opponents.

The party’s secretary general, John Mnyika, said in Dar es Salaam that they were shocked at how the IGP spoke ill of the party’s national chairman, Freeman Mbowe, who was recently attacked by unknown assailants, who beat him up and left him to suffer in the Capital, Dodoma.

Mr Siro could not be reached for comment. His assistant said the police boss was attending a meeting.

But MrSirro is on record as having said that “investigation is not politics,” referring to time spent by the US in investigating and searching for Osama Bin Laden.

On June 13, the police said in a statement that evidence it had gathered at the scene showed no proof that anybody had actually heard Mr Mbowe screaming for help or witnessed the incident.

Police spokesperson David Misime said more questions over the incident emerged after learning that Mr Mbowe’s child, James Mbowe, who was at home, wasn’t informed of the incident, instead Mr Mbowe was quickly rushed to the home of Chadema’s Special Seats MP, Joyce Mukya.

According to police, the investigation also revealed that on June 8, 2020, Mr Mbowe visited various entertainment places including Royal Village Hotel and that he tested positive for alcohol upon admission at a hospital in Dodoma.

But Mr Mnyika said it was shocking that the IGP told a local TV channel that Mr Mbowe was drunk on the day he claimed to have been attacked.

“The truth is that Mr Mbowe was not drunk and doctors at the hospital where he went for treatment can attest to this,” said Mr Mnyika.

He accused people he described as ‘security officials’ of leaking a false X-Ray picture which showed that Mr Mbowe did not sustain a broken leg.