Junius
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 11, 2009
- 3,181
- 139
ISSA YUSSUF in Zanzibar, 9th June 2009
The Zanzibar Minister for Communication and Transport, Mr Machano Othman Saidi, has appointed a team to probe the May 29 boat accident at Malindi port that killed six people.
Mr Saidi told a press conference here yesterday that the team has been given a month to submit its report and estimated to spend about 21m/- for the work.
He named the members of the task force as High Court Judge Omar Makungu who would lead the team, Capt Masoud Sururu, Mr Abdulla Kombo, Capt Mohamed Mahmoud Juma, Capt Hatib Katandula from the University of Dar es Salaam, and Mr Abdi Omar Maalim.
"I believe this is an independent team, and we expect it to be fast, exhaustive, transparent and factual in their work," the minister said when answering questions from journalists.
The minister dismissed as baseless calls from some people including the opposition in the Zanzibar House of Representatives to resign for negligence specifically for not acting fast in rescuing the people during the accident. "I see no grounds for me to step-down," he said adding that the boat was purchased from Madagascar and registered in Zanzibar last July to carry 300 tonnes of cargo and 200 passengers.
The minister further said that rescue operation was to end soon since the possibility of finding more bodies diminished. "We have been informed by divers in the search team that there are no more bodies," he said.Mr Machano thanked the rescue team which comprised mainly of soldiers and divers from security forces -- Tanzania People's Defence Forces, KMKM, Police, and fire brigade. Lesson we learnt from the accident is that we need to improve our rescue operations," he said.
The Zanzibar Minister for Communication and Transport, Mr Machano Othman Saidi, has appointed a team to probe the May 29 boat accident at Malindi port that killed six people.
Mr Saidi told a press conference here yesterday that the team has been given a month to submit its report and estimated to spend about 21m/- for the work.
He named the members of the task force as High Court Judge Omar Makungu who would lead the team, Capt Masoud Sururu, Mr Abdulla Kombo, Capt Mohamed Mahmoud Juma, Capt Hatib Katandula from the University of Dar es Salaam, and Mr Abdi Omar Maalim.
"I believe this is an independent team, and we expect it to be fast, exhaustive, transparent and factual in their work," the minister said when answering questions from journalists.
The minister dismissed as baseless calls from some people including the opposition in the Zanzibar House of Representatives to resign for negligence specifically for not acting fast in rescuing the people during the accident. "I see no grounds for me to step-down," he said adding that the boat was purchased from Madagascar and registered in Zanzibar last July to carry 300 tonnes of cargo and 200 passengers.
The minister further said that rescue operation was to end soon since the possibility of finding more bodies diminished. "We have been informed by divers in the search team that there are no more bodies," he said.Mr Machano thanked the rescue team which comprised mainly of soldiers and divers from security forces -- Tanzania People's Defence Forces, KMKM, Police, and fire brigade. Lesson we learnt from the accident is that we need to improve our rescue operations," he said.
