Opposition MPs Halima Mdee and Ester Bulaya in hot water again

Dar es Salaam. Opposition MPs Halima Mdee and Ester Bulaya could appear in court again over what police said was their involvement in a disturbance outside a Dar es Salaam prison last week.

Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander Lazaro Mambosasa said yesterday that police had compiled a report on the incident, and would hand it over to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions today for further action.

But in a swift response, Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe said he would speak on the matter today.

“I will deliver the party’s official response tomorrow (today) after consulting our lawyers,” he said by telephone.

Ms Mdee, Ms Bulaya and Special Seats MP Jessica Kishoa were taken to hospital after they were allegedly beaten up by police outside Segerea Prison on Friday. Police arrested and questioned the lawmakers for several hours before releasing them on bond.

The MPs were among party officials and supporters who had gone to the prison to meet Mr Mbowe upon his release from jail after the party paid for him fines totalling Sh70 million imposed by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday.

Ms Mdee, Ms Bulaya, Mr Mbowe, five other Chadema politicians – Ms Esther Matiko, Mr John Mnyika, Mr Salum Mwalimu, Mr John Heche and the Reverend Peter Msigwa – and former secretary-general Vincent Mashinji were fined a total of Sh350 million after they were convicted of various offences, including sedition and illegal assembly, in a case that had dragged on for two years.

They all spent at least a day in jail after they were unable to pay the fines immediately. Ms Mdee, Ms Bulaya and Ms Matiko were the first of the convicted Chadema officials to be freed from prison after the party paid Sh100 in fines imposed on them.

Dr Mashinji was set free on Wednesday after the ruling CCM, to which he defected last month, paid his Sh30 million fine.

Mr Mnyika, Mr Mwaimu and the Rev Msigwa were freed on Thursday, while Mr Mbowe and Mr Heche were released on Friday. It was during Mr Mbowe’s release that there was an altercation involving Chadema officials and supporters.

Mr Mambosasa said Ms Mdee and Ms Bulaya mobilised party members to go to the prison to meet Mr Mbowe, contrary to the law.

“It is against the law to enter a prison and collect a freed inmate without permission from the relevant authorities. We arrested them after the Prisons Department complained about their conduct,” he said.

Mr Mambosasa added that police were still looking for other suspects involved in Friday’s incident.