CUF MP, 11 others held for inciting chaos in Tabora


By ABDULWAKIL SAIBOKO, 

POLICE in Tabora Region have arrested the Civic United Front (CUF) Special Seat MP Magdalena Sakaya, six other party leaders and five residents of Urambo District for allegedly inciting chaos.

The Tabora Regional Police Commander, Mr Liberatus Barlow, told the ‘Daily News’ over the phone on Sunday that the 12 suspects would appear before the court today to answer charges of illegal assembly and chaos incitation.

Mr Barlow explained that the MP had gone to Usinge Ward with other party leaders in the wake of a four-day special operation to stop illegal activities in the Mpanda Line Forest Reserve. While in Usinge, the suspects allegedly incited chaos.

“In the operation, we confiscated 820 cows, 1,780 fish, 178 timbers, 14 logs, five wooden doors and two bicycles out of which 100 cows were taken by their owners after they had paid the fine. The remaining 720 cows remain in police custody,” he said.

Mr Barlow added that on Friday, the Shela Village Chairman (CUF) mobilized residents to resist against police action. He also allegedly led them to where the cows were kept in a forceful attempt to take them. He was arrested together with five others before doing that. They were charged on the same day.

“Ms Sakaya and company went to the area without our knowledge, held a rally and when we went to see what was going on, angry residents stoned a police vehicle while one of them, Saidi Juma, jumped on a police’s back causing accidental gunfire where he was killed and a policeman injured,” he said.

The RPC noted that following the incident, the MP and other six CUF officials were arrested plus five other residents.

Earlier on Sunday, the CUF Deputy Secretary General (Mainland), Mr Julius Mtatiro, admitted that the arrested MP and six other officials were sent by the party to witness the situation and, if possible, assist the victims.

“We got information that our village chairman had been arrested after he questioned the police move; we contacted the police but they showed no cooperation. We, therefore, decided to send a delegation of party leaders to witness what was going on,” he claimed.

Mr Mtatiro named other leaders who have been arrested as Doyo Hassan Doyo, Zainabu Nyumba, Yasin Mrotwa and Masoud Omari, all executive committee members.

Others include the contestant for parliamentary seat in the last year’s general elections in Urambo West Constituency on CUF ticket, Kirungi Kirungi, and the party’s human right officer, Hashim Bakari.