MBOWE EXPLAINS WHY HE HAS BEEN SILENT DISAPPEARANCE OF BEN SAANANE

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe came out yesterday defending his long silence about the mysterious disappearance of his personal assistant Benard Saanane saying that what kept him quite was that the matter is under the investigation.

Mr Mbowe made the remarks during a press briefing outside the Tughimbe Royal Hall during the ongoing election of the party’s leaders in Chadema’s Nyasa Zone.

This comes three days since Saanane’s father, Mr Focus Saanane, expressed his disillusionment towards the party’s efforts to come out public over his son’s disappearance.

Mr Saanane was last seen on November 18. Efforts to locate him by family, friends and colleagues since then have proved futile. Last week, Chadema’s chief legal officer Tundu Lissu told journalists that before he went missing, Mr Saanane had received death threats from unknown individuals and reported the matter to the police.

Mr Lissu also said that the disappearance of Mr Saanane should not be taken lightly and police and other relevant security organs owed the nation an explanation.

He claimed there were torture chambers being run by the state, a claim that on Thursday saw him arrested and interrogated for several hours at the Central Police Station in Dar es Salaam.

Yesterday, while noting that he was also a victim of the disappearance of his aide, Mr Mbowe said that he (Saanane) was an important person to him in carrying out his duties.

“My fellow Tanzanians, I was quiet on the issue as it is under investigation and if we keep talking about this, those who kidnapped him might even take his life simpy because people are talking about him,” Mr Mbowe said.

He added: “Chadema is an institution and its security apparatuses are also investigating into the matter.”

The Election

In the election, Iringa Urban M Pastor Peter Msigwa emerged winner after getting 62 votes, 58.49 per cent of 106 votes casted.

Announcing the results, election supervisor Kibamba MP John Mnyika said the vice chairman’s position has been taken by Sadrick Malila, who got 93 votes out of 106, while three were spoilt.