Tanzania’s opposition leader airlifted to Nairobi after getting shot
Two bullets hit him in the leg, two on the stomach and one on the arm, according to Dodoma Chief Regional Medical Officer James Charles.
Mr. Lissu was on Thursday shot inside his car by unknown assailants who fired several rounds of ammunition into his car near his home in the central city of Dodoma.
According to Tanzania's Parliament Speaker Job Ndugai, between 28 and 32 bullets were sprayed on Lissu’s vehicle, a black Toyota SUV, as he arrived at his house in Dodoma at around 1pm local time Thursday.
He was later rushed to Dodoma regional hospital where the opposition Chadema Party leader in parliament, Mr. Freeman Mbowe, said he was in a critical condition.
Lissu was airlifted and admitted to Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi on Thursday night.
"We understand he's still in critical condition”
“Members of the East African Law Society will be visiting him today (Friday) in the afternoon," Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Isaac Okero said.
Following the shooting, Chadema party issued a statement condemning the attack.
President John Magufuli also expressed shock and wished him speedy recovery through his twitter account.
Mr. Lissu, who is also the Chief Whip in Parliament and the chief legal counsel of Chadema (Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) is a fierce critique of President Magufuli.
He has previously been arrested about nine times, accused of unsavory political remarks, mostly against President John Magufuli and the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) government.
Meanwhile, Tanzania's Parliament Speaker Job Ndugai has asked MPs to assist in offsetting Lissu's medication bill by donating at least half of their sitting allowance.
“Our colleague is doing fine and he was transferred to the Nairobi-based Aga Khan Hospital for further treatment from the Dodoma regional hospital. His plane left at midnight,” he told MPs on Friday.
Parliament had earlier made arrangements to transfer Lissu to Tanzania’s top referral Muhimbili National Hospital, but his family and Chadema leadership opted for Aga Khan in Nairobi.
“They told us that they chose Aga Khan not because they do not have faith in our hospitals but that they would be more comfortable there. We respect their choice of Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi,” Mr. Ndugai said.
He said about Tsh43 million ($19,000) would be contributed by the MPs towards Lissu's treatment.
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