DAR ES SALAAM: A court in Tanzania has sentenced opposition CHADEMA party lawmaker and a local leader to five months in prison for insulting President John Magufuli. The court convicted Joseph Mbilinyi, the lawmaker, and local leader Emmanuel Masonga for using abusive language against the president at a public rally. Mbilinyi was accused of associating Magufuli with an alleged assassination attempt on vocal opposition MP Tundu Lissu last year.
Lissu, a fierce critic of Magufuli government, was shot several times by unknown gunmen in September. He sought treatment abroad and has yet to return. “Mbilinyi used insulting language against President John Magufuli ... likely to cause breach of peace,” said part of the charge sheet. According to Tanzania’s penal code, “any person who uses obscene, abusive or insulting language to any other person in such a manner is likely to cause a breach of the peace” faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail. CHADEMA’s party leader John Mnyika said that the opposition party would appeal against both the convictions and sentences.
