High Court throws out Lissu’s plea against Speaker Ndugai

What you need to know:

  • The Tanzania High Court has rejected former Singida East MP TunduLissu’s application seeking approval to file a case to challenge report issued by National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai that led him to lose his parliamentary seat instead it directed that the outspoken MP was supposed to challenge decision to hold a by-election in the constituency.

Dar es Salaam. The High Court today rejected application filed by former Singida East MP, TunduLissu (Chadema) to file a case aimed at challenging Speaker Job Ndugai’s decision to revoke his status as as Member of Parliament.

The High Court decision says Chadema’s head of legal affairs was not supposed to submit such application, instead he was required to challenge the by-election process in Singida East Constituency.

“Approving the application will breach articles of the constitution and force the constituency to have two representatives,” said Judge Sirillius Matupa in his decisions.

Mr Lissu filed application under certificate of urgency through his brother AluteMughwai who had been granted power of Attorney to represent him in a bid to reclaim his position.

Through application number 18 of 2019 against speaker and the attorney general, Mr Lissu asked for the court permission to challenge and revoke speaker’s report that led him to lose his position.

Speaking after the High Court’s decision, Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe said as a political party they were going to re-organizing themselves.

"We will resume at the court after we have re-organized. Our colleague (MrLissu) is receiving treatment outside the country. We will communicate and continue seeking for justice,” he said, adding.

"We know it will not be an easy thing because of certain reasons. However, we respect the decision made by the court.”

He said they believed the court was an instrument for discharging justice, noting that they will continue using different methods to ensure justice prevails.

MrLissu has been receiving treatment in Belgium after surviving an assassination attempt perpetrated by unknown assailants on September 7, 2017, in Dodoma

On June 28, 2019, when suspending the 15th parliamentary meeting, National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai announced end of MrLissu’sreign as MP of Singida East, insisting that the decision was in accordance with demands of the country’s constitution.

He said the decision comes after the former Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) president had failed to attend several parliamentary seating without informing the Speaker in writing about his whereabouts.