NATIONAL Civic United Front (CUF) Chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba has said he is seeking an audience with President Jakaya Kikwete to tell him what had transpired during the recent stand-off between the police and his supporters in Dar es Salaam.

He also wants to use the appointment to ask the president to order the withdrawal of all cases related to the incident.

The opposition leader would also urge President Kikwete to handle the road towards this year’s general election “with caution’’ in addition to reining-in on state organs to exercise selfrestraint.

He told a news conference at the CUF Headquarters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that it was important for the government’s organs to exercise fairness on the road to October.

Prof Lipumba’s call comes a few days after himself and other several CUF members were roughed up and arrested by the police on allegations of holding an unlawful assembly.

The opposition political party has since stated that the meeting was fully permitted by the police. The opposition leader was last week arraigned in a Dar es Salaam court on charges of incitement between January 22 and 26.

Before he was arrested, Lipumba was slated to lead a procession starting at Mbagala Zakhem in the city in commemoration of killings that took place on January 27, 2006, in Zanzibar following a mass protest action by CUF members and followers.

He said that he had started efforts to seek audience with President Kikwete to report what he saw as police brutality, noting that if left unchecked could destabilise elections preparations.

“I have started efforts to seek audience with President Kikwete to express my opinion on what I see as disturbing police conduct, which may destabilise elections,” he said, adding that the system should be fair to all political parties.

He charged that some security operatives, including the police, use such instances to steal property from the people they arrest, further alleging that police were fabricating cases against individuals.

He termed it as “retrogressive practice’’. He hailed the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anne Makinda, for allowing the motion and debate on how the police mishandled him, CUF members and supporters, journalists and some civilians.

Prof Lipumba poured scorn on some MPs and government leaders who wanted to block the matter from being discussed in the House on grounds that a case to that effect was pending in court.

Last week, Prof Lipumba was charged at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court with incitement on a day of high drama around the city.

He was arraigned before Principal Resident Magistrate Isaya Arufani before whom he denied the charge.

The prosecution, led by State Attorney Joseph Maugo and assisted by Ms Hellen Moshi, alleged that on diverse dates between January 22 and January 27 this year, in Dar es Salaam, Prof Lipumba incited his supporters to commit a criminal offence.