Embattled CUF chairman Ibrahim Lipumba (centre), is guarded by his supporters at the High Court premises in Dar es Salaam yesterday after the presiding postponed the hearing of a case in which the CUF Board of Trustees is challenging his reinstatement. PHOTO | OMAR FUNGO
What you need to know:
The incident took place before and after a court session, leaving three supporters, alleged to be supporters of Secretary-General Seif Sharif Hamad, wounded.
Dar es Salaam. A fight erupted yesterday on the High Court premises after CUF followers confronted each other using sharp objects.
The incident took place before and after a court session, leaving three supporters, alleged to be supporters of Secretary-General Seif Sharif Hamad, wounded.
The High Court held a session yesterday to adjudicate on the application by the CUF Board of Trustees, requesting that Presiding Judge Sekieti Kihiyo withdraws from hearing of the main case filed by the board to challenge Prof Ibrahim Lipumba’s chairmanship.
According to board’s lawyer, Mr Juma Nassor, his clients felt that the judge won’t be fair in the case.
However, in his ruling Judge Kihiyo rejected the application on the grounds that it had no merit to make him disqualify himself from hearing the case.
He said a judge or magistrate had powers to withdraw or not from hearing a case depending on the reasons advanced. But he said there was no good reason to make him withdraw from hearing the case. Instead, he said the case was among those in which the applicants wanted to have the judges of their choice.
Before the court held its session, at around 1pm, the CUF followers engaged in a fight just outside the courtroom.
They were dispersed by the police and were allowed to attend the hearing of the case.
But soon after the court ended the session, at around 2pm, those who claimed to support, on the one hand, Mr Hamad and, on the other, Prof Lipumba engaged in the fight. This was the second time CUF followers engaged in the fight at the High Court.
On November 24, they fought in the courtroom and were forced out and barred from entering attending the case. CUF is undergoing a leadership crisis triggered by Prof Lipumba’s decision to rescind his resignation a year after he tendered it.
This meant that he wanted to continue as the party chairman. But the party’s national congress in August voted to accept his resignation, effectively rejecting his wish to continue serving as the chairman.
However, the meeting had to be postponed after the vote, as chaos ensued causing damage to property in the hall.
Prof Lipumba did not accept the verdict of the members and continued exercising responsibilities as the opposition party chairman.
The CUF board of trustees, then, moved to court on October 19, seeking, among other things, the nullification of the letter of the Registrar of Political Parties that recognised Prof Lipumba as the lawful chairman.
