Tanzania’s government has offered its support to an opposition leader who was hospitalised after being assaulted late on Monday.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa personally visited the bedside of Chadema leader Freeman Mbowe, who was attacked by unknown assailants.

Mbowe was ambushed as he returned home in the capital Dodoma.

This support from the government comes at a time when members of the opposition are denouncing what they say is politically motivated aggression.

A high-profile critic of President John Magufuli, Mbowe has repeatedly accused the government of covering up the extent of Tanzania’s coronavirus outbreak and failing to take the pandemic seriously.