A court in Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, will deliver a judgment on today in a case against two opposition leaders facing charges related to an anti-government protest that the state says was illegal.
Freeman Mbowe, the chairperson of the main opposition party, Chadema, and Esther Matiko, the treasurer of the party’s women’s wing, have been in jail for violating their bail conditions.
They were accused of failing to appear in court twice to face the charges against them, leading to the cancellation of their bail on 23 November.
Read: Kenyans slam ‘politicised’ fight against corruption
Mr Mbowe defended himself, saying he had been ill on both occasions, while Ms Matiko says she missed one hearing because she was on an official mission to Burundi.
Opposition politicians and rights groups have been calling for their release, describing them as political prisoners.
They accuse President John Magufuli’s government of being dictatorial.
A video of the two politicians, arriving at the High Court in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, has been shared online.
Source: BBC