Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here once again with all the big stories that broke in Tanzania over the weekend.
Pro-democracy activists released after spending hours in detention
Opposition party CHADEMA has “condemned in the strongest possible terms” the arrest of its leaders, members, supporters and other pro-democracy activists by the Mwanza police, calling their detention “unlawful,” a statement released yesterday by the party’s director of communications and protocol Mr John Mrema said.
The cadres and activists were arrested on Saturday in the process of police’s prevention of the party’s New Constitution conference organized by its Youth Wing (BAVICHA) that the law enforcement agency called illegal in accordance with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ban of political rallies. Despite the police’s letter demanding them to not organize the conference that was expected to take place Saturday, BAVICHA went ahead with its timetable.
Several leaders, members and supporters of CHADEMA spent about thirty hours in police custody before they were released on Sunday evening. They were not charged with any offence. Mr Mrema said that following the police’s harassment of the party’s activities, CHADEMA national chairperson Mr Freeman Mbowe will travel to Mwanza to join other party cadres in organizing the New Constitution conference. Mr Mbowe is expected to hold a press conference today to clarify what exactly has happened.
CHADEMA has criticized police’s interference with their activities, calling its actions unfair, partisan and politically motivated as while the party’s internal meetings are banned and disrupted, those organized by the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) are protected by the same Police Force.
Meanwhile, the opposition ACT-Wazalendo party reported that its candidate for the councillorship by-election in Mbagala Kuu in Dar es Salaam Shaweji Mketo was yesterday arrested at one of the polling stations where he went to stop unregistered voters from voting. Police reportedly hurt one of his legs and arms and was rushed to the Temeke Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
The Mbagala Kuu by-election is one of the seven by-elections (one parliamentary and six councillorship) that the National Electoral Commission (NEC) organized yesterday following vacant posts in several constituencies for various reasons including death. Other by-elections were organized in Konde, Pemba; Ndirigishi, Manyara; Mitesa, Mtwara; Gare, Tanga; Mchemo, Mtwara; and Chona, Shinyanga.
Govt: New master development plan is coming
Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development Mr William Lukuvi said yesterday that preparations for a new master development plan aimed at improving and modernizing Tanzania’s congested commercial capital of Dar es Salaam has been completed, Xinhua News Agency has reported.
Mr Lukuvi made the revelation during a meeting with Dar es Salaam regional leaders and senior land officers. He said Dar es Salaam is congested and there is no space for the construction of structures, including residential houses. The new master development plan will replace the outdated version of 1979.
According to Mr Lukuvi, the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands will release loans to Dar es Salaam’s residents that would enable them to carry out land surveys for the construction of residential houses. He also pointed out that the new master plan will address the issue of land conflicts that have occurred in some parts of the most populous city in Tanzania.
Man kills man, fatally shoots himself in a murder-suicide
A tragic incident took place Saturday involving a man identified as Alex Korosso shooting another man, Gift Mushi, before shooting himself to death, several media outlets reported over the weekend. The heart-wrenching incident took place at a pub known as New Lemax that is located in the Dar es Salaam town of Sinza around 6 PM.
According to media reports, Mr Korosso, who is reported to be an accountant with the Tanzania Drama and Film Actors Association (TDFAA), arrived at his favourite pub in the evening of the day that the incident occurred and after a few drinks, he withdrew his pistol, showing it to people at the pub, threatening them with it while screaming that he is anxious about killing someone.
While this was happening, Mr Mushi, who was at the pub in the company of his friends, intervened in the situation, telling Mr Korosso that what he was doing was dangerous, urging him to stop. Reports indicate that Mr Mushi was sober when he approached his would-be killer and the two were not friends.
But instead of stopping what he was doing, Mr Korosso reportedly fired a total of six bullets into the body of his victim, starting with one in the leg, two in the stomach and three in the head. Immediately after that, Mr Korosso shot himself in the cheek, leading to his prompt death. Until the time of writing, police in Dar es Salaam had not commented over the murder-suicide.
Arrested over murder of fiancé
Police in Dar es Salaam are holding Grace Mushi, 25, for allegedly putting on fire a house of her fiancé, twenty-five-year-old Khamis Abdallah that led to his death, Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Jumanne Muliro said in a statement on Saturday.
Muliro said that the incident took place on July 16, 2021, in Mbezi Makabe neighborhood in the Dar es Salaam district of Ubungo. It is reported that around 2 AM on Friday the accused locked her victim in the house before she proceeded to pour petrol on the house and burn it down.
Muliro said police’s investigation into the alleged murder continues but preliminary investigations have connected it to jealousy.
This is it for today and we hope you enjoyed our briefing. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter (see below) or follow us on Twitter (here) as that is the best way to make sure you do not miss any of these briefings. And in case you have any questions or comments, please consider dropping a word to our editors at editor@thechanzo.com.
One Response
Why do you publish these sensationalist stories of murder and suicide?
These are not for a serious Blog!
Focus on the big picture, and leave the rest to the rest.
Otherwise, keep up the good work!