Tundu Lissu was greeted by hundreds of supporters at the airport
A prominent Tanzanian opposition figure who survived an attempt on his life in the capital Dodoma has returned to the country where he is expected to run for the presidency.
Tundu Lissu had been living in Belgium since he was shot three years ago and has undergone more than 20 medical operations.
No one was convicted of the attempt on his life.
While out of the country, Mr. Lissu was stripped of his parliamentary seat.
He was received by hundreds of supporters as he was leaving the international airport of the country’s main city, Dar es Salaam.
Before his return to Tanzania, Mr. Lissu, as well as human rights groups, had asked the government to guarantee his safety in the country.
The BBC’s Sammy Awami in Dar es Salaam says the politician’s next step in his bid for high office would be to win the opposition party’s nomination Chadema for the presidential race.
In the scene
Athuman Mtulya, BBC, Dar es Salaam
With a big smile on his face, Tundu Lissu left the airport waving to his followers who went wild with joy.
He hasn’t been here since he came out in September 2017 after unknown gunmen sprayed him with 16 bullets.
Limping, he walked toward his supporters who chanted, “President! President!”
They were afraid of skirmishes after police warned supporters not to gather at the airport.
But officials appear to have changed their minds and Lissu’s supporters were left alone.
Lissu is a staunch critic of President John Magufuli, who is running for a second five-year term in the Tanzanian general election in October.
Although he has been praised for economic reforms and the fight against corruption, President Magufuli’s government is under increasing scrutiny for crackdown on press freedom and has been accused of under-reporting the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
