Chadema Secretary General Dr Wilbroad Slaa and former Arusha lawmaker Godbless Lema leave the police headquarters in Dar es Salaam yesterday after they were interrogated about recent allegations by Chadema that there was a plan to kill some of the party’s top leaders. (Photo: Staff photographer)

The Secretary General of the main opposition party, Chadema, Dr. Wilbroad Slaa yesterday refused to record a statement with the police on allegations he and top party officials issued last week, claiming that there was a plan to assassinate them.
Speaking to reporters yesterday at the Ministry of Home Affairs, shortly after being interrogated by Police Dr. Slaa said that he could not give a statement because the police had previously failed to act on similar incidents despite being given credible evidence.

 Dr. Slaa was accompanied by Mr. Godbless Lema, a member of the party’s central committee (CC) who also claimed to have received death threats   allegedly involving officials of the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services (TISS). 
Others who were summoned by Police but did not show up at the ministry are Chadema’s  Ubungo legislator, John Mnyika and the party’s chairman,  Freeman Mbowe.

However before Dr. Slaa spoke to reporters, the communication officer for police force,  Advera Senso told the media that Dr. Slaa and other CHADEMA officials were given a letter to report to  police headquarters.

“We have two CHADEMA officials today because a few days ago they gave allegations to the media claiming that their lives were threatened by some government officials,” she stated.
Because of those allegations the police have decided to open a file on that particular matter and the police according to the law have the responsibility to question those involved in the issue and they have to investigate the case.

Last Tuesday the Minister for Home Affairs, Dr.  Emmanuel Nchimbi told reporters that he had directed the police force to interrogate Chadema top leaders in order to get to the bottom of the problem because it is the government’s responsibility to protect citizens.

The minister made the remarks after opposition  leaders had declined to seek out the police on the issue as they claimed that the police did not pay appropriate attention on other major incidents reported previously.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Dr Slaa cited an example of the cases where Chadema accused the police force  of siding with the ruling CCM during the Arumeru East by- election, while also citing Dr Stephen Ulimboka’s kidnapping and beating up.

Dr Slaa reminded the media on an incident that occurred about four years ago when recording devices were secretly fixed inside his residential hotel room in Dodoma during National Assembly sessions.

Last weekend at its meeting in Dar es Slaam Chadema top brass discussed at length on death threats against its leaders and during a media briefing the party strongly accused one of the top officials of TISS of plotting to kill some party leaders.
The party claimed that its secretary general Willbroad Slaa, MP Mnyika and ex-MP Godbless Lema were targeted for assassination.