Tanzanian Opposition Leaders Released On Bail

Police in Tanzania has released on bail all opposition leaders who were arrested on charges of planning to hold unlawful protests.

They include the main opposition party Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe and ACT-Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe.

Some of the politicians had been held since Sunday.

Officials from the two parties, Chadema and ACT, say they are accused of organising unlawful demonstrations and sedition.

The opposition had called for continuous public demonstrations to protest against the outcome of last week's election - which the incumbent President John Magufuli won with more than 80% of the votes.

They have rejected the results of the poll and say they have evidence that the polls were rigged.

The head of the national electoral commission said the allegations were unsubstantiated.

Police accused the opposition of planning to set fire to markets and petrol stations during the demonstrations which had been set to begin on Monday but did not materialise.

Yesterday Chadema presidential candidate Tundu Lissu was briefly arrested and released.

The Dar es Salaam police boss said he was released on health grounds.

Mr Lissu survived an assassination attempt in which he was shot 16 times in 2017. He spent three years of treatment abroad and only returned to Tanzania in July to run for the presidency.