Arusha: Two nabbed over Chadema rally disturbances

Written by MARC NKWAME.

THE Police in Arusha Region have arrested two people who are alleged to be part of a “gang of four armed suspects” who stormed into a political rally conducted by the Arusha-Urban Member of Parliament, Mr Godbless Lema, in Themi last Saturday evening.

The MP was addressing the political rally at Kambarage area in Themi- Hill Ward of Arusha Municipality, in the ongoing series of campaigns towards the June 16 repeat polls aimed at filling vacuums in four wards of the Municipality, left vacant after the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) jettisoned five ward councillors out of the party last year, relieving them of their posts in the process.

CHADEMA and its main competitor; the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) are the two political parties in the fore-front to reclaim the representation of the four wards of Kaloleni, Kimandolu, Themi-Hill and Elerai.

When the CHADEMA rally was attacked on Saturday, party officials, led by the Arusha-Urban MP pointed accusing fingers at CCM because one of the arrested suspects, Mr Victor Mollel happens to be Secretary of Economic Affairs for the CCM.

The police have confirmed the incident, saying two people are being held for questioning following the incident.

Mr Mollel with a police file case number AR/ RB/6938/2013 is alleged to have used his gun in threatening some of the CHADEMA officials at the rally when a group of youth from the party surrounded the people they accused as invaders at the rally, wanting to beat them up but the situation was saved by the police who took away the suspects.

The other suspects, who got arrested during the mayhem is one Mr Joseph Laizer, who is alleged to have trespassed into the CHADEMA rally armed with an axe, a knife and a sword before being surrounded by the party guards in an ensuing struggle which led to the breakup of the campaign rally.

Mr Laizer was also arrested by the police, taken to the Central Police Station where case number AR/RB/6937/2013 was filed, for alleged causing unrest at public gathering and being armed with the said weapons.

Two people who were said to be part of the invading gang, reportedly escaped during the scuffle and according to Mr Lema, one of the escaped suspect is Mr Jumanne Mjusi; “Who has always been attacking our people and meetings but surprisingly he is never arrested,” said the MP.

Source: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/18164-two-nabbed-over-chadema-rally-disturbances