Jenerali: Tanzania police keep shooting the messenger, but change is coming

[Invisible]

By JENERALI ULIMWENGU
The East African
Posted Monday, January 10 2011

There is a disturbing wantonness in the way our forces of law and order are wont to use force without order and with scant regard for law.

There are far too many occasions when the police act with such brute force that one is left wondering what it is they are trying to prevent, save, protect or help.

Last Wednesday, for instance, when the main opposition party in Tanzania, Chadema, decided to take to the streets of Arusha to demonstrate over a number of issues, the police had been put on notice well in advance.

In fact, some reports even suggested that, contrary to their habitual no-demonstration stance, the cops had given their nod to this particular demonstration on this particular day.

That subsequently the police decided, via an announcement by the Inspector General of Police, to issue an order banning it a day or so before the planned demo is incomprehensible.

Surely, a group that has been told that their planned action is okay will have taken the trouble to organise, to mobilise and to strategise, and all this involves time, money and emotions.

So, understandably, Chadema went ahead with their demo, some of their leaders were arrested, a few of them were clobbered, some seriously, and a reported two people died.

Whatever caused these deaths, they constitute a tragedy for the nation and a blot on the record of our police force.

Our collective memory span seems to be very short.

Exactly 10 years ago this month, in 2001, we were all bemoaning the tragedy that had befallen us when dozens of people were killed in Pemba and Unguja and hundreds of Tanzanians were forced to flee into exile, the first time this country, always the provider of refuge, generated refugees of her own, most of whom found asylum in Kenya.

The brutality of our police force in that ignoble incident has never been fully exorcised, and the impunity of those involved remains intact.

It’s not surprising, therefore, when we see policemen ready to re-enact the events of 2001 with total abandon.

They know they can shoot to kill and the story ends there.

And, now that Seif Sharif Hamad, the leader whose exhortations led to the 2001 demos, is in government, we may never again hear of any call for a full explanation of what really happened. Such is the sad and sordid nature of our politics of the personal stomach.

Let it be stated again. The right to demonstrate is a fundamental right.

As with all other rights, it has to be exercised peacefully, without endangering the public peace; this is how many demonstrations, including those that have been disrupted by the police, have always started out.

If during any demonstration some elements among the demonstrators engage in law-breaking activities, they should be easy to identify and pluck out through the police co-operating with demo marshals.

If a big enough number of demonstrators turn out to be violent, then the police have the duty to disrupt the demonstration and disperse the participants.

This is no different from a party that turns nasty with revellers hurling beer bottles at each other.

But it does not allow the police to stop a wedding party because they think it will turn violent.

The magical power to foretell what is going to happen belongs to special people and the IGP was not a sangoma, last time I looked.

Police cannot have the prerogative of banning a demonstration on the pretext that it is bound to break the peace, even if before it kicks off.

To accept that precept would be tantamount to surrendering our liberty to an organisation that has political masters who may have an interest in keeping huge chunks of the population silent.

The police are a civic defence force whose main duty is to protect citizens and their property.

It should not be allowed to be misused by politicians who are running away from their own shadows simply because they know they have failed to deliver, and they have, quite honestly, lost it.

Jenerali Ulimwengu, chairman of the board of Raia Mwema newspaper, is a political commentator and civil society activist based in Dar es Salaam.

 

[ZenaTulivu]

Kama polisi ni zaidi hapa nchini sasa tutajuana huku uraiani.

Polisi na ndugu zao wote hatutawapa ushirikiano tena huku uraiani popote pale, hatutafanya biashara yoyote na nyie na hata ukilazimisha lifti kwenye gari yangu kuna uwezekano mkubwa nikabamiza gari langu mwenyewe kwa upande uliko ili ufe sawa na raia wenzetu mliowaua kiunyama Arusha.

Tangu sasa polisi hata kama ni ndugu yangu toka nitoke tusijuane na mtoto wangu yeyote atakayejiunga na jeshi hili alaaniwe na afe mara moja hata kabla hajamaliza mafunzo hayo.

 

[The Finest]

Another masterpiece from jenerali ulimwengu

 

[Mbopo]

I cannot thank Jenerali enough. He has said it all. Police radical reforms should be implemented immediately lest we find ourselves refugees in our own country. The Police Force is facing alot of credibility crisis.

Others are being linked with all round assault on people and property (ujambazi) and IGP has kept a deaf ear. Not even the Minister has risen to say a word or two on this frightening experience that tax payers and innocent citizens are through.

 

[nsimba]

police, YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL US!!!! YOU ARE JOKING; WE GONA FINISH YOU ALL. MCHOKE KUTEMBEA NA MKAE HUKO HUKO OFISINI KWENU.

 

[LAT]

Let it be stated again. The right to demonstrate is a fundamental right.

"governments must be chosen by the people and once in power must permit opposition. The basic principle of allowing people to voice views you disapprove of is alien to authoritarian regimes",


Aung San Suu Kyi

 

[zomba]

Changes katika dunia hazitosita. Tumesoma himaya za Mfalme Suleiman alietawala na kumiliki zaidi ya Mfalme yeyote yule. Tumesoma ya Kina Karun na Firaun na kina Shah (tumeshuhudia) na Mao na (tumeshuhudia) Nyerere (tumeshuhudia).

Mengi Tumeyasoma na mengi tumeshuhudia, hayo yote yamepita na yote yamebadilika.

Kwa sasa tunauhakika wa mabadiliko, tunauhakika kwa sababu hakuna mtawala au utawala utadumu milele.

Lakini changes tuzitakazo zije na ziondoke kiamani na bila tafrani. Hatutokuwa kwenye amani kama ilivyo Iraq au Afghanistan kwa kulazimisha changes.

Uganda ni mfano wa karibu, changes zililazimishwa na mpaka leo zaidi ya miaka thalathini hakuna amani. Somalia tumeona changes za kulazimisha lakini mpaka leo hakuna amani.

Jee, na hizo changes za kulazimisha ndio tunazitakia Tanzania?

 

[Nyambala]

Changes katika dunia hazitosita. Tumesoma himaya za Mfalme Suleiman alietawala na kumiliki zaidi ya Mfalme yeyote yule. Tumesoma ya Kina Karun na Firaun na kina Shah (tumeshuhudia) na Mao na (tumeshuhudia) Nyerere (tumeshuhudia).

Mengi Tumeyasoma na mengi tumeshuhudia, hayo yote yamepita na yote yamebadilika.

Kwa sasa tunauhakika wa mabadiliko, tunauhakika kwa sababu hakuna mtawala au utawala utadumu milele.

Lakini changes tuzitakazo zije na ziondoke kiamani na bila tafrani. Hatutokuwa kwenye amani kama ilivyo Iraq au Afghanistan kwa kulazimisha changes.

Uganda ni mfano wa karibu, changes zililazimishwa na mpaka leo zaidi ya miaka thalathini hakuna amani. Somalia tumeona changes za kulazimisha lakini mpaka leo hakuna amani.

Jee, na hizo changes za kulazimisha ndio tunazitakia Tanzania?

Can't kool aid be good for ya???????? at least for now. Inaonekana wewe hata kuongea unaweza kutumia siku nzima kubwabwaja!

 

[Pape]

Nothing can change a change unless a change changes itself....

 

[Mzalendo_Mwandamizi]

I cannot thank Jenerali enough. He has said it all. Police radical reforms should be implemented immediately lest we find ourselves refugees in our own country. The Police Force is facing alot of credibility crisis. Others are being linked with all round assault on people and property (ujambazi) and IGP has kept a deaf ear. Not even the Minister has risen to say a word or two on this frightening experience that tax payers and innocent citizens are through.

Who is it to initiate the reforms?I personally think while the police are to blame for shooting and killing innocent civilians,it's the state's inability to preserve the rule of law that's the crux of the matter.

 

[WildCard]

Polisi wetu shule wamekwenda lakini hawajaelimika kabisa. Unaruhusu maandamano na mkutano kwa MAANDISHI kisha unayakataza kwa kusimama mbele ya kamera na kalamu za magazeti! Nadhani ni TANZANIA tu yanafanyika haya. Wamemnyima JK wetu zawadi ya Mo Ibrahim.

 

[zomba]

Can't kool aid be good for ya???????? at least for now. Inaonekana wewe hata kuongea unaweza kutumia siku nzima kubwabwaja!

Huna hoja? Au yamekuingia na hayapingiki?

 

[Ndibalema]

Changes katika dunia hazitosita. Tumesoma himaya za Mfalme Suleiman alietawala na kumiliki zaidi ya Mfalme yeyote yule. Tumesoma ya Kina Karun na Firaun na kina Shah (tumeshuhudia) na Mao na (tumeshuhudia) Nyerere (tumeshuhudia).

Mengi Tumeyasoma na mengi tumeshuhudia, hayo yote yamepita na yote yamebadilika.

Kwa sasa tunauhakika wa mabadiliko, tunauhakika kwa sababu hakuna mtawala au utawala utadumu milele.

Lakini changes tuzitakazo zije na ziondoke kiamani na bila tafrani. Hatutokuwa kwenye amani kama ilivyo Iraq au Afghanistan kwa kulazimisha changes.

Uganda ni mfano wa karibu, changes zililazimishwa na mpaka leo zaidi ya miaka thalathini hakuna amani. Somalia tumeona changes za kulazimisha lakini mpaka leo hakuna amani.

Jee, na hizo changes za kulazimisha ndio tunazitakia Tanzania?

Hakuna aliyesema amani ivunjwe ili mabadiliko yapatikane lakini inapotokea walinda amani wakavunja amani na wananchi hawana budi kuleta changes kwa kuvunja amani(hatuombei) ndio maana kuna mashujaa wao wa[po radhi watolewe uhai wao lakini positive changes zipatikane.

 

[WAMURUBHERE]

si police wote wabaya,dont think revenge to police is a solution,lazima tujiulize ni kwa nini wako hivo tukianzia na selection creteria zao zikoje,wakufunzi wao wana sifa? muda wa mafunzo unatosha? do they have in service training? otherwise we will be judging a book by looking its outer colour!

 

[Ngisibara]

Changes katika dunia hazitosita. Tumesoma himaya za Mfalme Suleiman alietawala na kumiliki zaidi ya Mfalme yeyote yule. Tumesoma ya Kina Karun na Firaun na kina Shah (tumeshuhudia) na Mao na (tumeshuhudia) Nyerere (tumeshuhudia).

Mengi Tumeyasoma na mengi tumeshuhudia, hayo yote yamepita na yote yamebadilika.

Kwa sasa tunauhakika wa mabadiliko, tunauhakika kwa sababu hakuna mtawala au utawala utadumu milele.

Lakini changes tuzitakazo zije na ziondoke kiamani na bila tafrani. Hatutokuwa kwenye amani kama ilivyo Iraq au Afghanistan kwa kulazimisha changes.

Uganda ni mfano wa karibu, changes zililazimishwa na mpaka leo zaidi ya miaka thalathini hakuna amani. Somalia tumeona changes za kulazimisha lakini mpaka leo hakuna amani.

Jee, na hizo changes za kulazimisha ndio tunazitakia Tanzania?

Rubbish + garbages= Stinking

 

[Henge]

Huna hoja? Au yamekuingia na hayapingiki?

wewe zomba ndo huna hoja ya maana!

 

[RealMan]

The one thing I like about Jenerali is the courage to speak his mind.
He is known to be JK's friend yet that doesnt enslave his mind as the case is for many of his peers.

Said Mwema started off very well in 2006, having been at the Interpol made him to bring some positive ideas in the police force. Some sense was now being seen in the police and that could be seen from the professionalism exhibited by some of the officers in Arusha and Mwanza during the October Polls.

From the look, the IGP has succumbed to cheap politicians of Makambas calibre and for sure if he doesnt take stock, I see him going down same perffered road as Mahita did.

 

[kayumba]

There are far too many occasions when the police act with such brute force that one is left wondering what it is they are trying to prevent, save, protect or help.

This question need to be answered!

Whatever caused these deaths, they constitute a tragedy for the nation and a blot on the record of our police force.

Our collective memory span seems to be very short.

Exactly 10 years ago this month, in 2001, we were all bemoaning the tragedy that had befallen us when dozens of people were killed in Pemba and Unguja and hundreds of Tanzanians were forced to flee into exile, the first time this country, always the provider of refuge, generated refugees of her own, most of whom found asylum in Kenya.

The brutality of our police force in that ignoble incident has never been fully exorcised, and the impunity of those involved remains intact.

Ooh Ulimengu, it is not matter of memory span, no no no. It is because, there was absolutely no one held responsible for Pemba and Unguja Killings of innocent civilians. Insteady, they were praised and some of them may be were promoted due to those acts!

Regarding impunity to those involved in Killings; it seems the number of those untouchables will keep growing, because even those involved in Arusha violent has been considered to be"good law enforcers" perfoming their duties!

They know they can shoot to kill and the story ends there.

This is true!.

May be the New constitution will change this!!!!!!!!!!

And, now that Seif Sharif Hamad, the leader whose exhortations led to the 2001 demos, is in government, we may never again hear of any call for a full explanation of what really happened. Such is the sad and sordid nature of our politics of the personal stomach.

African Politicians, they are all the same!

After power sharing deals they pretend nothing had happened before!

Let it be stated again. The right to demonstrate is a fundamental right.

I satute you!

The magical power to foretell what is going to happen belongs to special people and the IGP was not a sangoma, last time I looked.

Police cannot have the prerogative of banning a demonstration on the pretext that it is bound to break the peace, even if before it kicks off.

"Sangoma"- It was not sangoma's intuitions but the famous intellegence (inteliginsia)! Atleast that is what they wanted us to believe......!

May be they knew it will end up with deaths!?

To accept that precept would be tantamount to surrendering our liberty to an organisation that has political masters who may have an interest in keeping huge chunks of the population silent.

We will not surrender our liberty ever!


Finally,

Once again i thank Jenerali for this article!

 

[kayumba]

Changes katika dunia hazitosita. Tumesoma himaya za Mfalme Suleiman alietawala na kumiliki zaidi ya Mfalme yeyote yule. Tumesoma ya Kina Karun na Firaun na kina Shah (tumeshuhudia) na Mao na (tumeshuhudia) Nyerere (tumeshuhudia).

Mengi Tumeyasoma na mengi tumeshuhudia, hayo yote yamepita na yote yamebadilika.

Kwa sasa tunauhakika wa mabadiliko, tunauhakika kwa sababu hakuna mtawala au utawala utadumu milele.

Lakini changes tuzitakazo zije na ziondoke kiamani na bila tafrani. Hatutokuwa kwenye amani kama ilivyo Iraq au Afghanistan kwa kulazimisha changes.

Uganda ni mfano wa karibu, changes zililazimishwa na mpaka leo zaidi ya miaka thalathini hakuna amani. Somalia tumeona changes za kulazimisha lakini mpaka leo hakuna amani.

Jee, na hizo changes za kulazimisha ndio tunazitakia Tanzania?

Kwa kulinganisha mabadiliko ya Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda na Somalia ni haki kweli!

 

[WildCard]

Kwa kulinganisha mabadiliko ya Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda na Somalia ni haki kweli!

Ndiko tunakoelekea. Ni suala la muda tu.