Zanzibar Secretary of Mufti, Sheikh Fadhil Soraga, transfers from Mnazi
Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar to Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Dar es
Salaam, after acid attack on Nov 4, 2012 at Mwanakerekwe in Zanzibar.
PHOTO|FILE
In Summary
Speaking to The Citizen in seperate interview,
the residents noted that the fact that attacks on people using acid and
other corrosive liquids have continued unabated in the country in the
last few years without the Police Force devising any strategies to deal
with the issue points to a bigger picture of an ineffective police
force.
Musoma. Acid attacks on two foreigners in
Zanzibar was unfortunate, but the shocking reality was that the Police
Force was caught napping, unprepared and unable to conduct adequate
manhunt to capture the perpetrators, Musoma residents have said.
Speaking to The Citizen in seperate interview, the
residents noted that the fact that attacks on people using acid and
other corrosive liquids have continued unabated in the country in the
last few years without the Police Force devising any strategies to deal with the issue points to a bigger picture of an ineffective police force.
Mr Fazel Janja said he was concern by the fact
that authorities have not even formed a special taskforce to investigate
the nature of the attacks and why criminals now prefer that cruel way
of dealing with their victims.
“The problem is that if we deal with this issue in
the same way we deal with everything else-business as usual- the
consequences will be worse. And if nothing is not done immediately to
stop these attacks the problem will soon be out control,” Mr Janja said.
British teenagers Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup
became latest victims of acid attacks in Zanzibar when they were
splashed with the corrosive liquid on Wednesday. The attack came barely a
month after the owner of Home Shopping Centre, which runs a chain of
home appliance shops, Mr Said Mohammed Saad, was splashed with the
corrosive liquid. He is still nursing wounds at a South African
hospital. More than four other attacks on clerics and politicians have
happened in the last two years both in Zanzibar and the mainland.
Despite increasing such attacks the Police is
helpless. In most cases, including the attack on British girls and Mr
Saad no main suspects have been nabbed. Another Musoma resident Doroth
Chagula noted that the recent wave of acid attacks started with the
assault on Mr Saed Kubenea the editor of Mwanahalisi newspaper in 2008
but unfortunately nothing much has been done.
“It is interesting that those who assaulted Mr
Kubenea in 2008 are still on loose. No one was arrested in connection
with the incident todate,” she observed.
Adding that by announcing some action only after
the British girls were attacked the government seems it does not take
its people in high esteem. “When Tanzanians are splashed with corrosive
liquids it is somehow ok. When it is on foreigners, then authorities wake up from slumber,” she added.
The Zanzibar Police spokesperson, Mohamed Mhina
said acid attacks are a new “challenge” in which the Police have not yet
found a way to deal with.
And in the current circumstances cooperation from the public is imperative, according to Mr Mhina.
“It is impossible for the police alone to deal
with such incidents without the cooperation of the public. It is like
terrorism. Itis a new challenge that needs everybody to play a part,” Mr Mhina told The Citizen in an interview.
Another resident if Musoma Mr Didi Koko seems to
concur with Mr Mhina arguing that acid attacks could also be an
indication of declining morality in the Tanzanian society.
“I think it is not about acid attacks. That is just a method of
attack. The issue is increasing wave of crime. How about reports that
comes out everyday of parent killing children because of stealing a few
shillings?” he queried.
He added; “Everybody has a role to play
in this. It has to start from the family level. As a society we need to
up our morals. The government must take care of the economy. Poverty is
the source of all evils,” Mr Koko noted.
Soon after the Zanzibar acid attack last week the
Inspector General of Police Said Mwema, Government Chemist and Director
of Public Prosecution Eliezer Feleshi convened a meeting to see what
could be done to deal with increasing acid attacks.
Briefing reporters after the meeting they
expressed their frustration on how difficult it is to crack down on the
new crime wave. One of the reasons put forward is because the sale of
chemicals in the country is not regulated. They then called for a new
law to be enacted to ensure all people who buy acid are registered.
Mr Janja said he appreciated the decision to seek
to regulate the importation, distribution and usage of acid and other
corrosive liquids in the country but he also said the decision should
have been reached a long time ago.
“This sounds like a fire brigade reaction to me,
and to make it worse no comprehensive solution was proposed other than
plans to review laws. We were supposed to have passed that stage a few
years before,” Mr Janja noted.
Only about one case involving acid attack has
reached the courts of law. Five Chadema cadres were charged in Tabora
for splashing acid on a CCM cadre during Igunga by-election in 2011.
The citizen 