Local News

State orders probe on ‘plot’ to kill Chadema leaders

HOME Affairs Minister Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi

HOME Affairs Minister Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi has ordered an immediate police investigation of Chadema's allegations that it had uncovered a state plot to assassinate its senior officials.

"These are serious allegations, and it is our constitutional and legal duty to investigate and ascertain the truth of the matter," said Dr Nchimbi during a press conference here on Monday.

He was reacting to claims by Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe over the weekend that the party has unearthed the scheme, engineered by senior officers of the National Intelligence and Security Services,  to kill the party's officials including its Secretary General Dr Wilbroad Slaa and the vocal Ubungo legislator, Mr John Mnyika.

The party's chairman mentioned Mr Godbless Lema, former Arusha Urban legislator (CHADEMA) as another party cadre in danger. Dr Nchimbi warned Chadema officials against making such inflammatory allegations, which increasingly seem like a cheap ploy by the officials to gain undeserved political mileage.

He noted that although he finds the allegations baseless, he still had ordered police to conduct a thorough investigation of the matter and interrogate the opposition party's officials whose lives are said to be in danger.

He wondered why Chadema officials would not report the matter to police and instead rushed to the media to reveal the said threat. According to Mr Mbowe, due to the magnitude and seriousness of the threats, the party central committee yesterday had to hold emergency meeting to deliberate on the matter.