CUF board of trustees files lawsuit against Lipumba

Dar es Salaam. The CUF Board of Trustees supporting secretary general Seif Shariff Hamad’s camp has applied for leave to file a case against the Registrar of Political Parties and embattled former chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba.

In the application No. 75 of 2016 filed yesterday at the High Court through advocate Juma Nassor, other respondents are Attorney General and 10 other CUF members who were expelled from the party.

The others are Ms Magdalena Sakaya, Mr Maftah Nachuma, Mr Abdul Kambaya, Mr Masudi Mhina, Mr Thomas Malima, Ms Ashura Mustafa, Mr Kapasha Kapasha, Mr Musa Kombo, Mr Habibu Mnyaa and Mr Haroub Shamis.

Along with the application for leave to file the case, the applicants are also seeking an order prohibiting and restraining the Registrar of the Political Parties from acting in excess of his jurisdiction and powers in respect of the internal administration of the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees further seeks the court to issue an order for stay of the decision and directions given and issued by the Registrar of Political Parties in his September 23, 2016 letter pending the hearing and determination of the application.

In their affidavit supporting the application, which was signed by Seif Shariff Hamad, CUF secretary general, they argued that the Registrar of Political Parties is responsible for the registration of political parties in Tanzania but he isn’t allowed to interfere with internal affairs of the outfits.

The applicant claimed that Prof Lipumba was the chairman of the political party until his resignation on August 5, 2015.

According to the application the general meeting of the party was convened on August 21, 2016 to endorse Prof Lipumba resignation.