Tanzania Pays Benefits Of Exiled Politician
Tanzania’s government has paid pension and other benefits that opposition politician Tundu Lissu lost when he was stripped of his parliamentary seat after fleeing into exile.
At the time he was at loggerheads with Ex-President John Magufuli, who was determined to crack down on the opposition.
Since Mr. Magufuli’s death last year, the political climate has changed in Tanzania under his successor President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Paid Benefits
At a digital forum on Wednesday, Mr. Lissu said he had received a phone call two months ago from an officer in the finance ministry, who informed him that the benefits he was claiming had been paid.
Mr. Lissu said, all his bank debts had been settled by the government.
“I had loans from two banks and one had already filed a case in court claiming back their money but now I feel the inconveniences are gone and I can tell that the public the government under President Samia has settled all these debts,” he added.
The chief government paymaster, Emmanuel Tutuba, said that it was normal practice for the government to pay debts of its employees and officials including their pension benefits.
Face to Face Talks
The government’s action is said to be a result of face-to-face talks between Mr. Lissu and President Samia in February.
They met in the Belgian capital, Brussels, when she was on an official visit.
Many have ‘applauded’ the president for improving Tanzania’s human rights record, including lifting bans on media outlets imposed under her predecessor.
Mr. Lissu who is vice chairman of the main opposition Chadema party left Tanzania in 2017 after being shot and wounded by unidentified gunmen in the capital, Dodoma.
He returned to Tanzania in July 2020 to participate in that year’s presidential elections, but rejected the results, alleging widespread vote-rigging had secured Mr. Magufuli’s victory.
He left again in November that year after complaining of death threats and has since remained in exile in Belgium.
BBC/Christopher Ojilere
