Another Tanzanian Opposition Politician Killed with Machetes at his home

Less than a fortnight after a Tanzanian opposition leader was killed after being kidnapped; another politician for main opposition party has been killed with Machetes at his home.

Godfrey Luena who had been elected to represent Namwawala ward in central Morogoro on a ticket of the opposition party of Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) is reportedly to have been found with Machete cuts at his home on Thursday.

His Chadema party has since described the killing of Luena as political motivated and called for an immediate investigation into the matter.

Chadema deputy secretary-general John Mnyika claimed in Dar es Salaam on Friday that prior to his death, Mr Luena had had differences with the local government and ruling party officials over an alleged land-grabbing by the latter.

Mr Mnyika told local Tanzanian media that Mr Luena had left his house to look into a power cut that had affected his house alone when he was attacked by unknown assailants armed with machetes.

On February 13, opposition politician Daniel John was found dead with Machete wounds at a beach where he had been dumped.

John`s death was also described as political motivated with his Chadema party officials blaming the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party to have been behind the move.

Also In September 2017, a senior opposition lawmaker Tundu Lissu was shot several times at his home in Dodoma. He was rushed to Nairobi where he was in intensive care for several months, before being transferred to a hospital in Brussels where he continues to receive treatment.

Last week, the United States raised concern over “politically-related confrontations and violence” in Tanzania and called for “a transparent investigation to hold all perpetrators of violence accountable.”