Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — Former Tanzanian opposition leader, Godbless Lema and his family, who fled Kenya a month ago fearing for his life, has been granted asylum in Canada in a move highlighting a deep political rapture in the east African country.
Lema, who has been living in Nairobi along with his wife and three children, has arrived in Canada.
George Wajackoyah, a Kenyan lawyer who represented Lema, said Thursday the outspoken politician was granted asylum with assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He has attained refugee status.
“I want to thank President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenya government for being an observer of human rights,” said Wajackoyah.
Leaders Exodus
The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Arusha Urban has become the second opposition leader to flee the country after the disputed October 28th election, which observers say was riddled by widespread irregularities and fraud.
The level of persecution of political opposition rose dramatically in Tanzania after President Magufuli’s re-election.
Tundu Lissu, who contested in the presidential race on the ticket of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) fled to Europe in November, fearing for his life.
He was reportedly stripped off the security detail he had during the election and he also claimed to have had death threats.
Disputed Elections
President John Magufuli, who was running on the ticket of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) was declared the winner with 84 percent of the votes against Lissu, who garnered 13 percent of the vote, the national electoral commission announced.
Speaking to Ubuntu Times before his departure Lema said he doesn’t wish to return to Tanzania because he would endanger his own life and the lives of his immediate family.
Lema, who served two terms as an opposition legislator described the east African country as a “Persecution paradise”.
“I am not a criminal running away from justice, but a bonafide political leader escaping repression and possible assassination attempt,” he said.
Car Trackers
According to him, back in Arusha, his car was constantly being trailed by unmarked vehicles, and his family has repeatedly received death threats that were hard to ignore.
Lema who sneaked into Kenya incognito through the Namanga border aboard a Taxi was intercepted by Kenyan authorities and briefly detained at Kajiado County.
His plight was raised in the local media, prompting global human rights charity—Amnesty International to urge Kenyan authorities to rescind any plans to deport him to the country where Lema claimed his life would be in danger.
“Godbless Lema and his family must not be forcibly returned to political persecution and likely imprisonment,” said Irungu Houghton, Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director.
A Friend In Need
Lema is among several members of the main opposition party-CHADEMA who were arrested and detained ahead of Magufuli’s inauguration in November.
Chadema’s national chairman Freeman Mbowe traveled all the way to Nairobi to bid him, his family farewell.
Since taking office in 2015, President John Magufuli’s security forces have cracked down on the media, critical civil society organizations with the police arbitrarily arresting senior opposition politicians on charges related to sedition.