Mugishagwe
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 28, 2006
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Regional
Monday, June 24, 2002
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Dar Officials Accused of
Abetting Arms Racket
By RICHARD MGAMBA
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Top Tanzania security officials have been accused of complicity in an illicit trade involving arms smuggled in by Russian-made aircraft that fly fresh Nile perch fish fillet from Mwanza to Europe.
Commenting on the allegation, the Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Stephen Mashishanga confirmed to The EastAfrican last week in Mwanza that in October 2001: "We received the information from our security officers at Mwanza airport about cargo planes being used to bring in arms in the country and we informed top-level security organs for action."
He said that during the same period, his officers detained a cargo plane from Ukraine which was loaded with arms, but a day later "we received instructions from top-level security organs instructing us to release the plane."
He, however, declined to reveal the names of the officials who gave the instructions to release the aircraft.
On October 2 last year, security officers in Mwanza airport detained a cargo plane believed to be carrying arms on a flight supposedly originating from Israel to Angola.
The Antonov 12 plane, belonging to Ukraine Cargo Airways, with a capacity of 35 tonnes of cargo, was however released the next day.
A government source told The EastAfrican in Mwanza recently that the weapons enter the country through Mwanza airport, which has been described as the conduit for arms smuggled into countries affected by civil strife by arm dealers from Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Government sources told The EastAfrican that security at Mwanza airport was poor, making it a popular route through which arm dealers smuggle their wares into the Great Lakes region.
The Member of Parliament for Shinyanga, Leonard Derefa, criticised Minister for Home Affairs Seif Khatib for not taking measures to control the situation.
The MP attributed the increased incidence of arms smuggling to security laxity at places such as Mwanza airport.
Mr Derefa told parliament in Dodoma last week, "I asked the Minister for Home Affairs what steps he was taking to curb the situation and he said he was 'thinking' of taking measures. How can one be still 'thinking' about something as serious as this instead of stopping the racket?"
He challenged the minister to resign "for being irresponsible on this matter."
Monday, June 24, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dar Officials Accused of
Abetting Arms Racket
By RICHARD MGAMBA
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Top Tanzania security officials have been accused of complicity in an illicit trade involving arms smuggled in by Russian-made aircraft that fly fresh Nile perch fish fillet from Mwanza to Europe.
Commenting on the allegation, the Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Stephen Mashishanga confirmed to The EastAfrican last week in Mwanza that in October 2001: "We received the information from our security officers at Mwanza airport about cargo planes being used to bring in arms in the country and we informed top-level security organs for action."
He said that during the same period, his officers detained a cargo plane from Ukraine which was loaded with arms, but a day later "we received instructions from top-level security organs instructing us to release the plane."
He, however, declined to reveal the names of the officials who gave the instructions to release the aircraft.
On October 2 last year, security officers in Mwanza airport detained a cargo plane believed to be carrying arms on a flight supposedly originating from Israel to Angola.
The Antonov 12 plane, belonging to Ukraine Cargo Airways, with a capacity of 35 tonnes of cargo, was however released the next day.
A government source told The EastAfrican in Mwanza recently that the weapons enter the country through Mwanza airport, which has been described as the conduit for arms smuggled into countries affected by civil strife by arm dealers from Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Government sources told The EastAfrican that security at Mwanza airport was poor, making it a popular route through which arm dealers smuggle their wares into the Great Lakes region.
The Member of Parliament for Shinyanga, Leonard Derefa, criticised Minister for Home Affairs Seif Khatib for not taking measures to control the situation.
The MP attributed the increased incidence of arms smuggling to security laxity at places such as Mwanza airport.
Mr Derefa told parliament in Dodoma last week, "I asked the Minister for Home Affairs what steps he was taking to curb the situation and he said he was 'thinking' of taking measures. How can one be still 'thinking' about something as serious as this instead of stopping the racket?"
He challenged the minister to resign "for being irresponsible on this matter."