Opposition leaders to be questioned after student was shot dead by a stray bullet.
Top officials of Tanzania’s main opposition party Chama Cha Democrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) on Tuesday appeared before the police in Dar es Salaam after they were summoned in the probe on slain university student.
Aquilina Akwilini was shot dead on Saturday in a bus by a stray bullet in the country's commercial capital as police officers were dispersing opposition protesters.
John Mnyika, Chadema's deputy secretary-general for Mainland, told journalists on Tuesday that the police had summoned the party's seven top officials.
“We came as a response to a police call... so far no questioning has been conducted," he said.
He said, according to their sources, the police was accusing them of unlawful demonstration.
The shooting occured after Chadema members marched to the Electoral Commission to demand accreditation for its agents to observe a by-election that was to be held the next day.
The seven Chadema leaders summoned by police are the national chairman Freeman Mbowe, the secretary-general Vincent Mashinji, women's wing leader Halima Mdee, Serengeti zone chairman John Heche, women's wing treasurer Esther Matiko, deputy secretary-general for Zanzibar Salum Mwalimu and Mr Mnyika.
Mr Mnyika alleged that the police wanted to link the party's leaders to the shooting of Ms Akwilini.
"We will be back on Tuesday next week for questioning as per police instructions,” he said.