The minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy,
Coordination and Parliament), Mr William Lukuvi, speaks to journalists
in Dar es Salaam yesterday. With him is the acting commissioner on Drug
Control Commission, Ms Aida Tesha.
PHOTO | EMMANUEL HERMAN
By Katare Mbashiru, The Citizen Reporter
(email the author)
Posted Saturday, September 14 2013 at 07:30
Posted Saturday, September 14 2013 at 07:30
In Summary
The minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office
(Policy, Coordination and Parliament), Mr William Lukuvi, said in Dar
es Salaam yesterday that the current law was weak and gave room for drug
barons to continue making the country a den of drug dealers.
Dar es Salaam. The government yesterday launched a process on the enactment of a new law to curb drug trafficking and use.
Stakeholders will give their views before a Bill against narcotics is drawn up.
The minister of State in the Prime Minister’s
Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliament), Mr William Lukuvi, said in
Dar es Salaam yesterday that the current law was weak and gave room for
drug barons to continue making the country a den of drug dealers.
“Section 21 of the Drugs and Prevention of Illicit
Traffic in Drugs Act provides an insufficient punishment to drug
kingpins,’’ he said, adding that there was a need to have a law that
would provide a heavy penalty for drug dealers.
The section maintains that any person who
knowingly directly or indirectly finances any of the activities of
illegal drugs or harbours any person engaged in the aforementioned
activities commits an offence and upon conviction is liable to a fine of
Sh10 million or to imprisonment for life.
According to Mr Lukuvi, all views will be
channelled to the Drug Control Commission and the Prime Minister’s
Office. Upcountry people will have to submit their views to any local or
central government office.
According to Mr Lukuvi, the new law will come up
with an independent agency like the Prevention and Combating of
Corruption Bureau that will thoroughly deal with drug traffickers. News
of the new law comes just two weeks after Principal Judge Fakihi Jundu
criticised the current law, saying it was derailing the war against
narcotics.
Justice Jundu was responding to reports that some
judges and magistrates made decisions that enabled people charged with
drug trafficking to secure bail or full freedom.
Mr Lukuvi said after having the new drug
legislation the government would establish a special court to deal with
illicit drug cases so as to cut the backlog of cases pending in
different courts.
“We are fully committed to fighting drugs, and we
will ensure that an independent budget is set aside to speed up the
hearing and determining of cases,’’ he said.
Asked why the government chose to remain mum on
the 100 people alleged to be drug barons that President Jakaya Kikwete
said he would make public in 2006, Mr Lukuvi said there was no any law
that compelled the executive to do so.
“This is subject to investigation and it is only
the law enforcers who are obliged to mention people, if at all,
immediately after arresting drug dealers,’’ Mr Lukuvi insisted.
SOURCE: THE CITIZEN
SOURCE: THE CITIZEN
