I will not concede over 'shameless' election - Tundu Lissu

Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu now says he will not concede to President John Pombe Magufuli.

Lissu on Thursday said there is no way he was going to accept defeat to an election that has been marred by rigging and violence by state agencies.

"As long as we are concerned there is no election that has taken place. We shall not accept the results and so far we have asked Tanzanians to gather in large numbers for mass action and reject the results," Lissu told the Star on phone.

"Lazima tutetee demokrasia ya Watanzania na tunawaomba majirani wetu wa EAC, AU na Commonwealth watuunge mkono kwa kukemea matukio ambayo yamejitokeza kwenye uchaguzi huu," he added.

(We must defend Tanzania's democracy. We are calling on our EAC neighbours, the African Union and Commonwealth countries to join us in condemning the events that have manifested in day broad light).

Lissu is contesting against Magufuli's Chama Cha Mapinduzi-CCM on a Chama cha Demokrasia na Mageuzi well known as Chadema.

CCM has been the ruling party since Tanzania's independence in 1961.

According to Lissu, the international community must demand action against state agencies like the police and the electoral body for denying Tanzanians a chance to exercise their democratic right.

Lissu, who survived death after being shot at 16 times in 2018, said he had mounted a vigorous campaign against the incumbent to an extend he had to use state machinery to frustrate him.

"We conducted massive campaigns in all provinces except in the last two weeks where our eight rallies were stopped. The campaigns we did in this year are way far than what we did in 2015," Lisu said.

 "All Tanzanians have witnessed and the entire world has seen what has happened that is why we affirm that we shall not relent until justice is served."

His sentiments were echoed by his lawyer Robert Amsterdam who said they had documented all the scenes that were witnessed during the voting process.

"We will not recognise Magufuli's Presidency and we have called for mass action to protest this shameless election," he said.

Amsterdam said government actions through intimidation had contributed to the violence that was witnessed across the nation.

 "No politician can take liability for asking people to use their legal right to protest an illegal election," he said.

"Lissu has come a long way, from the jaw of death to come and fight this war, we shall do everything to ensure justice prevails." 

So far international rights groups condemned the violence with reports that about 10 people had been shot dead by the military.