CUF expels Lipumba as 20 held over violence

DAILY NEWS Reporters

Professor Ibrahim Lipumba

THE Civic United Front (CUF) has expelled its former National Chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, as police in Dar es Salaam are holding the party’s 22 followers for allegedly plotting violence.

Forty-three out of 53 CUF members of the party’s National Leadership Council supported the move to expel Prof Lipumba, accusing him of undermining the party.

Mr Katani Ahmed Katani, who chaired the council’s extraordinary meeting held in Zanzibar today, informed reporters that “as from today, Prof Lipumba is no longer member of CUF.” He said members of the leadership council discussed a series of issues that undermined the party and decided to expel him.

“When he was summoned (letter CUF/OKM?WM/2016/Vol.1/49) on September 24, 2016, he ignored to respond to it,” he claimed.

Mr Katani was flanked by the party’s Secretary General, Mr Seif Sharif Hamad and Legal Advisor, Mr Abubakar Khamis Bakary, who said that Prof Lipumba had misbehaved, prompting the council’s decision.

He said that other pro-Lipumba members will be given a chance to be heard in the planned council’s meeting in the near future. Previously, Prof Lipumba had been suspected with nine others, including Ms Magdalena Sakaya, Deputy Secretary General (Mainland), whose fate in the party is still unknown.

Reacting on reports that Prof Lipumba had also organised a similar meeting in Dar es Salaam and suspended Mr Hamad, popularly known as Maalim Seif, Mr Bakary and another party lawyer, Mr Ismal Jussa Ladhu, downplayed the issue, saying “Prof Lipumba no longer has powers within the party.”

“CUF remains a strong party and no one will ever manage to dismantle it,” Mr Jussa said after today’s meeting here, asking followers to be patient.

Meanwhile, police in Dar es Salaam are holding for interrogation 22 suspects believed to be the followers of the Civic United Front political party (CUF) from Isles on suspicion of plotting to burn the headquarters of the party.

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Commander of Police, Simon Sirro said the suspects, believed to be CUF followers, were arrested on September 25 at Mwananyamala in Kinondoni Municipality while they were in a commuter mini-bus with registration number T 857 CHE.

“In the preliminary investigations, the suspects confirmed that they are residents of Unguja in the Isles while a search on the mini-bus uncovered home-made weapons, including knives, machetes and a box containing five bottles for spray,” said Mr Sirro.

He said after further questioning, the suspects disclosed that there were more than 100 followers from various branches of CUF in Unguja and that they have come to the city for a special task directed by CUF Deputy Secretary, Mr Nassoro Mazrui.

“They said the party leader had directed them to join their fellow guards at the CUF Headquarters at Buguruni in Ilala Municipality,” Mr Sirro said.

He mentioned the suspects as including Said Mohamed Zaharani, Hamis Hamisi, Mohisini Ally, Masoud Igasa Fumu, Juma Omary, Mbaruku Hamisi, Juma Haji Mwanga, Hamisi Nassoro Hemedi, Mohamed Ally Mohamed and 12 others.

The suspects will appear in court after completing the investigations. Police are also holding a husband, Bakari Abdallah (40) and his wife, Sabrina Omary (28), on suspicion of committing various armed robberies in several parts of the city.

The suspects were allegedly found in possession of a pistol and five rounds of ammunition in the house they are living at Vijibweni in the city.

Commander Sirro said they arrested the husband on the afternoon of September 23 at Kimara ‘Mwisho’ area. During interrogation, the suspect admitted his involvement in the armed robberies, disclosing to the police about the pistol hidden in his house at Vijibweni in Kigamboni District.

“On September 26, the police went to inspect the house of the suspect and found a ‘Browning’ pistol bearing registration number CAR A081900, two magazines and five rounds of ammunitions and a Nokia Lumia phone,” Commander Sirro told reporters.

He said they were also holding the wife of the suspect for interrogations in connection with the incident. They will appear in court after the completion of investigations.