Nairobi: Tanzania's Catholic church today
accused the government of President John Magufuli of violating
democratic norms by limiting freedom of expression.
"Party political activities, such as public meetings,
demonstrations, rallies, debates inside premises, which are
after all every citizen's right, have been suspended until the
next elections," said a letter penned by the country's
Catholic bishops.
His CHADEMA party has accused the government of trying to
assassinate Lissu, who is also president of Tanzania's bar
association.
Magufuli, nicknamed the Bullzozer, took office in 2015
promising to tackle corruption.
But detractors say he is autocratic and has clamped down
on freedom of expression with opposition party meetings
routinely banned and several newspapers shut while several
journalists and artists have suffered death threats for
criticising his regime.