A former Tanzanian Member of Parliament fled to Kenya on Sunday with his entire family to flee alleged threats to his life.
Godbless Lema, the former lawmaker for Arusha Urban Constituency is reported to have escaped from Arusha by road accompanied by his wife and three children.
This was revealed by his lawyer George Wajackoyah, who received him at the Namanga border, who said he was seeking asylum in Kenya.
The lawyer spoke even as he was worried his client would be deported by the Kenyan authorities, according to a report published by Nation.
This came as opposition chief Tundu Lissu urged the international community not to recognise Tanzania’s recent election, even as he sought refuge at the German embassy.
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Lema and other politicians were nabbed by Tanzanian police after the October 28 poll and were later freed on police bond without any charge.
Tanzanian President John Magufuli was elected for a second term and later sworn in after an election challenged by the opposition.
However, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) dismissed the claims of massive electoral fraud meant to secure Magufuli’s return.
Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema’s chairman Freeman Mbowe was arrested together with Lema and others as Magufuli cracked down on the opposition to tame planned protests.
52-year-old Lissu, Chadema presidential aspirant, was arrested but later released after interrogation before he sought refuge at the German embassy in Dar es Salaam.
He returned to Tanzania in July after being in exile for three years as he recuperated from 16 bullet injuries sustained in an alleged assassination attempt.
