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Tanzania: Lissu named main opposition candidate

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Copyright © africanews
AFP

Presidential elections

Tundu Lissu named as the main opposition candidate for presidential votes.

Tanzania's main opposition, Chadema party on Tuesday unanimously approved Tundu Lissu 's candidacy for the October 28 general election after he won a party vote.

Heavyweight Lissu, a former MP and Chadema's deputy chairman, was shot 16 times in a 2017 assassination attempt.

He returned to the East African country from exile last month and described Magufuli's handling of the coronavirus pandemic as "a national embarrassment".

Tanzania has not released official coronavirus figures since late April, and unlike most African countries, it has taken no specific measures against the pandemic. Magufuli has repeatedly asserted that Tanzania has no coronavirus patients.

The country's opposition fears the general election will take place in a climate of violence and intimidation, and has called for the formation of an independent electoral commission.