Two young men allied to Tanzania’s opposition party Chadema are nursing injuries after they were reportedly kidnapped and beaten in a series of election campaign violence reported in the country ahead of the October 28 General Election.
The two identified as Evarist and Adam Mallya were reportedly kidnapped on Tuesday at Hai district.
They were found on Wednesday morning dumped in Arusha with serious injuries.
Witnesses said the youth had been beaten badly with cut wounds.
Elections Campaign Violence Alert: Hai District. Two Chadema youths from Narumu ward were kidnapped yesterday at Hai town centre. They were found this morning in Arusha badly beaten & injured with cut wounds. Names:Evarist & Adam Mallya @aikande @fatma_karume @bavicha_taifa @HRC pic.twitter.com/CbdXx3wxTM
— +259NadjMediaCenter (@najiniusnaj77) October 7, 2020
This comes at a time the opposition continue to accuse President John Pombe Magufuli’s government of frustrating their campaigns ahead of the much-anticipated duel between the Head of state and Chadema’s candidate Tundu Lissu.
Yesterday, heavily armed Tanzanian police officers on Tuesday blocked Lissu’s convoy at Kiluvya, Coastal part of the country.
Read: Heavily Armed Police Block Tanzania’s Opposition Leader Lissu’s Campaign Entourage [Video]
The presidential hopeful and his aides were headed to Kibaha district.
A video shared by the party on its Twitter page shows some armed officers in a Landcruiser and others milling around the scene questioning the opposition officials.
Jeshi la Polisi wenye silaha za moto na Mabomu ya machozi muda huu wameuzuia msafara wa Makamu Mwenyekiti wa Chadema Taifa na Mgombea Urais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Mhe. @TunduALissu maeneo ya Kiluvya ukiwa unaelekea Kibaha. pic.twitter.com/xst3b5cOf5
— CHADEMA Tanzania (@ChademaTz) October 6, 2020
The National Electoral Commission (NEC) Ethics Committee had on Friday suspended Lissu’s presidential campaigns for seven days for allegedly contravening election rules.
Read Also: Tanzania’s Electoral Body Suspends Tundu Lissu’s Campaigns For 7 Days,
The suspension followed complaints filed by two political parties, President Magufuli’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and NRA.
The parties had accused the Chadema aspirant of having uttered seditious statements during one of his rallies.
According to the complainants, Lissu during his campaigns in Mara claimed that President Magufuli had convened a meeting with district executive directors to discuss rigging October’s election.
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