Lissu back to the drawing board as NEC suspends campaigns

Dar es Salaam. Chadema’s Presidential Candidate Tundu Lissu said yesterday that the decision to continue with his  campaigns on October 4 this year will be determined by his party’s central committee that will meet today (Saturday).

Mr Lissu said this yesterday when he met with journalists at an emergency meeting after news of his campaign suspension for seven days by the National Electoral Commission’s (NEC) Ethics Committee started ciculating in the media.

“I am planning to resume my campaigns on Sunday, October 4, as was initially planned and coordinated by NEC - subject to a decision by my par- ty’s Central Committee,” he stressed.

According to him, the decision to suspend his campaigning is unjust because he was not issued with a letter of the complainant. Nor was he given a chance to state his case prior to the judgment.

This is despite records showing that NEC issued a letter to Lissu calling him to disprove the complaints raised against him last week.

However, during his campaigns, Lissu said he had not seen the letter - and, on Thursday (last week), the IGP directed him to report to a police station in Moshi, a directive he didn’t comply with.

Before the press conference,  NEC released a statement that it had suspended the candidate’s campaigns for seven days following  complaints from two political parties, namely CCM and NRA.

The NEC Ethics Committee Secretary, Emmanuel Kavishe, said the complainants had submitted complaints against Lissu claiming he had uttered seditious statements in one of his rallies.

According to Kavishe, when Lissu was in Mara, he claimed that President John Magufuli had called a meeting with returning officers countrywide to sabotage the elections.

Further, he said Lissu made seditious comments that aimed at humiliating the complainants contrary to election ethics - and that Lissu failed to provide evidence on his claims.

“The NEC ethics committee is satisfied that information on the violation of ethics submitted against Lissu is in accordance with procedure, taking into consideration Article 39 of the 1977 Constitution.

 Lissu was sponsored by his party to be the Presidential Candidate, therefore, the letter of complaint was delivered  correctly,” he said.

 Meanwhile, while briefing journalists, the Chadema flag bearer said information on the decision  to suspend his campaigns reached him via social media without being given a chance to be heard, contrary to election ethics.

According to him, procedures require him to be issued with the complainants in writing and be allowed to respond in writing, something which he was not accorded. He noted that, ten days ago on September 21, he logged a complaint against the CCM candidate for corruption-related allegations that contravened election ethics.

But, no decision has been reached to date. In such a scenario, he said NEC was not fair on its judgement. On the Moshi saga on Wednesday night, Lissu said he was the peacemaker after citizens refused to vacate the campaign grounds, calling out for him to address them.

“Police officers were ordered to throw bombs at the crowd, but we urged them to stop because hundreds of people would have died or been injured. That is why I talked to them,  urging them to go home, promising to speak to then another day,” he said.

About Nyamongo in Tarime, he said it was true he had no schedule, but he found a crowd waiting for him. Regarding the crowd, the police dispersed them with bombs,  although h