Police is asking for names of Chadema candidates, says Party
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema on Thursday called upon the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Simon Sirro to take action against the District Police heads for allegedly writing to the party demanding the names of its parliamentary aspirants.
The call was made by the party’s Protocol, Communications and Foreign Affairs director John Mrema on the grounds that police had no legal power of intervening intra-party elections.
He said the police had submitted letters to Chadema’s leaders at various levels requiring them to submit names of the party’s candidates.
“Surprisingly, the letters did not state the reason behind the demand of the names,” noted Mr Mrema.
“As of now we have directed our leaders not to take the names to the police until the reason behind and legal basis for the police order is stated.”
He added: We are countrywide following closely police actions against our candidates.”
He said such actions include arresting and remanding them as well as ordering them to surrender their private vehicles.
“We want the police to implement its responsibilities while abiding by the country’s laws,” urged Mr Mrema.
Efforts by The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi to get comment from the Police spokesperson, Mr David Misime, proved futile as his phone went unanswered, neither did respond to a text requiring him to clear the air.
