People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has come under fire for her involvement in Tanzania’s political matters, with Tanzanian leaders urging her to focus on Kenya’s challenges instead.
Speaking on Friday, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Vice Chairman Stephen Wasira expressed his respect for Karua and her leadership role but firmly stated that she had no authority to interfere in Tanzania’s internal issues.
Karua has been very vocal following the arrest of Tundu Lissu, an opposition leader from Tanzania’s Chadema party.
She even traveled to Tanzania to show support during the hearing of Lissu’s treason case, calling for his immediate release.
While some observers saw Karua’s actions as a strong move for Pan-African unity, democracy, and human rights, not everyone agreed with her approach.
Wasira accused Karua of crossing the line by traveling to Tanzania and accusing CCM of intimidating the opposition and fueling political tensions ahead of their elections.
“I heard Martha Karua’s remarks during her visit here. She claimed CCM is scared of Chadema and is arresting its leaders before the elections.
Let me make it clear: in Tanzania, CCM does not fear any political party,” Wasira said confidently.
He further advised Karua to first seek a full understanding of the situation in Tanzania before making public criticisms.
Wasira dismissed her accusations, insisting that CCM was operating peacefully and respecting the laws and policies of the East African Community.
“Don’t compare yourself with CCM. I must emphasize, we are not at odds with any political party, and we don’t interfere with court matters,” Wasira warned Karua.
He urged Karua to shift her attention back to Kenya’s internal problems instead of engaging in Tanzania’s political landscape.
Wasira also suggested that if she wanted to engage in regional peace efforts, she could better use her time addressing conflicts in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo or South Sudan, where he felt her advocacy might have a bigger impact.
In response to Wasira’s statements, Martha Karua thanked CCM leaders for acknowledging her advocacy but criticized them for ignoring the real issues.
She accused Wasira of sidestepping the violations of constitutional rights and police brutality that occurred during Lissu’s court case at Kisutu Court.
“Thank you for your response. However, it’s unfortunate that Mr. Wasira failed to address the police brutality witnessed at Kisutu court — where citizens and leaders were violently attacked, bones were broken, and even lives were lost,” Karua replied.
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