Tanzanian envoy in Germany responds to ‘claims’ by Lissu

The Tanzanian ambassador to Germany, Dr Abdallah Possi, has responded to recent accusations by parliamentarian Tundu Lissu, saying that some of the allegations were one-sided.

In his statement issued on Sunday, February 3, 2018, Ambassador Possi specifically targeted Lissu’s recent interview on DW News Africa aired on January 28, 2019.

However, the envoy said that he has requested to be given an opportunity to appear on the same programme soonest to reply to the one-sided allegations.

Attack on his life and on-going accusations

Dr Possi said it is regrettable that the Hon. Tundu Lissu would embark on a tour abroad to propagate such serious allegations against his own country.

Mr Lissu is a Member of Parliament who is undergoing treatment in Belgium for bullet wounds sustained in Dodoma, Tanzania, more than a year ago.

“The people of Tanzania – and, indeed, his parliamentary constituents (in Singida East) – would have expected him, if he has now recovered and is able to travel, to go back home and continue his representative and other public duties,” the ambassador states in his response.

Nevertheless, he said, it is well-acknowledged that the attack on MP Tundu Lissu by unknown gunman/gunmen near his residence in the country’s political capital Dodoma on September 7, 2017, was very unfortunate.

Such events, he noted, are rare in peaceful Tanzania – although they do happen in many other countries.

Indeed, it was on the same fateful day that a retired high-ranking army officer was also attacked in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam by unknown gunmen, and sustained serious injuries, too.