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Z’bar police arrest opposition leader
2005-11-26 09:18:05
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Police in Zanzibar have arrested a veteran politician and a member of the general council of Civic United Front, Mohammed Abdulrahman Dedesi, on allegations of making inflammatory utterances.
Dedesi is alleged to have said that President Amani Abeid Karume rigged last month’s polls.
He was arrested yesterday morning at his residence in Kikwajuni residential area. Police questioned him for several hours.
Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations Ramadhani Kinyogo confirmed yesterday that Dedesi was questioned at the Ng’ambo Station in Unguja-West town.
However, Kinyogo did not give reasons for the arrest of Dedesi, who is also a parliamentary candidate for Magogoni constituency.
But it is suspected that he was arrested in connection with the remarks he made last weekend at Magogoni kwa Mabati to the effect that Karume’s presidency is illegitimate.
CUF issued a strong-worded statement condemning the arrest of its candidate ahead of general election slated for December 14.
The statement issued yesterday by the party’s deputy director of information and publicity, Salim Bimani, said the arrest was proof that the CCM government is bent on intimidating the opposition.
The statement said Dedesi is the third CUF leader to be arrested on frivolous grounds.
The first was the CUF director of youth affairs, Said Miraaj Abdullah, before the director for information and publicity, Hiza Tambwe, who is vying for the Temeke seat, was arrested.
CUF also complained that innocent people were being arrested on frivolous grounds.
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