Dar es Salaam mayor election case for hearing

FAUSTINE KAPAMA

THE prosecution has completed the investigations into trial of six people, including three opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) who are facing a criminal charge relating to the controversy that surrounded the election of Dar es Salaam City Council’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

State Attorney Flora Massawe, for the prosecution, told Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday that they were ready to proceed with the preliminary hearing of the case and thus, requested a date for the session.

The magistrate granted the prosecution’s request and adjourned the trial to October 12, when the prosecution is set to present memorandum of facts, detailing particulars showing how the MPs and other members of opposition Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) committed the offence.

Accused persons in the matter are Kawe MP Halima Mdee, Ukonga legislator Waitara Mwita Mwikwambe and Ubungo lawmaker Saed Kubenea.Others are businessman Rafii Juma and Ephreim Kinyafu and Manase John Njema, who are councellors at Kimara and Tabata Kimanga, respectively. The accused persons are charged with one count of assault, causing actual bodily harm to Acting City Director, Ms Teresia Mbando.

They allegedly committed the offence on February 27, this year, at Karimjee Hall in Ilala District. The accused persons allegedly assaulted Ms Mbando, thereby causing her to suffer actual bodily harm.

It is alleged that on that day, councillors from Dar es Salaam City had set to conduct the elections of mayor and deputy mayor. But the session was postponed having Ms Mbando read over an order, purportedly issued by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, suspending the elections. The police were forced to intervene to quell trouble following postponement of the elections.

The Karimjee Hall erupted into chaos after Ms Mbando announced the suspension of the elections, this being for the third time.

Such scuffle involved some councillors from the Coalition of Four Opposition Political Parties (UKAWA) who confronted the acting city director demanding to know more about the court injunction and to be told the new date for the election.

Ms Mbando, who did not specify the new date for the election, had to leave the venue under police escort. The turmoil lasted several hours as UKAWA councillors refused to vacate the hall despite the police order for them to do so. This prompted police to arrest some of them.