Mwangosi's family to sue State

[Mzito Kabwela]

Mwangosi's family to sue State
Sunday, 04 November 2012 08:21
By Clement Sanga
The Citizen Correspondent
Iringa. The family of the late Daudi
Mwangosi plans to take the
government and the Police Force to
court over his brutal murder in what
was the first-ever recorded case of a
journalist slain in the line of duty in
Tanzania, The Citizen on Sunday has
learnt.
The family hopes legal action will help
bring to the surface the truth behind
the journalist’s vicious killing according
to his widow, Ms Itika Mwangosi, who
spoke to The Citizen on Sunday at her
home in Iringa last week.
The grief-torn widow said the family
decided to sue because they feel
government officials are not taking Mr
Mwangosi’s death seriously. There
aren’t any genuine endeavours to find
out what really happened and to
bring her husband’s killers to justice,
says this struggling mother of four.
Desperately fighting back tears during
the entire interview, a visibly
traumatized Itika said she is
disappointed with the findings of the
investigative team commissioned by
Home Affairs minister Dr Emmanuel
Nchimbi.
The Nchimbi report, which has been
widely faulted for wasting precious tax
shillings and for failing to deliver,
never specifically pointed out who
killed Mr Mwangosi. Nor did it
explicitly hold the Tanzania Police
Force (TPF) culpable for the
journalist’s brutal slaying.
“After lengthy discussions, we have
decided as a family to take this matter
the extra mile. We plan to sue the
government and the Police Force over
the murder of my husband,” said Itika
in a firm, but clearly distressed voice.
She is not looking to exact revenge on
the government, she told this
reporter. Rather, the single mum is
out for justice and has decided she
will seek refuge in the nation’s judicial
system. She insists that all she wants
is for the law to take its course.
Nothing will bring her greater comfort
than to see her husband’s killers face
justice. “We know some people are
trying to cover up the truth; people in
government who don’t want justice
but I’m telling you we will leave no
stone unturned on this,” said Itika.
“Justice will be done,” added
Mwangosi’s widow.
Two months after her husband of 10
years was killed on the job the horror
of it all has yet to sink in. “I cannot
come to terms with this - why was all
that force used to kill my man?” a
distraught Itika asks during our
interview, to seemingly no one in
particular.
“If you look at the pictures you can
clearly see that my husband was
surrounded by over seven armed
policemen and they’re all beating him
mercilessly. Was he armed to be
treated like a bandit?” asks a tearful
Itika.
Daudi Mwangosi was shot to death on
Sunday September 2 as he covered
clashes between law enforcement
and supporters of opposition majority
leaders Chadema at Nyololo Villlage in
the district of Mufindi in Iringa.
This tragic event marked the first
recorded case of a journalist killed in
cold blood in the line of duty in
Tanzania’s 50-odd years. Home Affairs
minister Dr Nchimbi later confirmed
that Mr Mwangosi had died from
injuries sustained when an explosive
teargas canister was shot directly at
him, ripping his torso apart.
In the wake of this incident, a series of
committees were tasked with
investigating the journalist’s murder.
Subsequent findings, presented on
October 9 by the government probe
team, were lambasted for their
blatant disregard of events on the
ground as told by eyewitnesses.
On the same day the Media Council of
Tanzania released its report, which
concluded that Mr Mwangosi had met
a barbaric ending at the hands of
police officials under the close watch
of Iringa Regional Police Commander
(RPC) Mr Michael Kamuhanda.
The following day the Commission for
Human Rights and Good Governance
also released its report which said the
police had trampled on essential
human rights when they interrupted
Chadema activities at Nyololo.
Two weeks after Mr Mwangosi’s
untimely death, 23-year old police
constable Pasifious Cleophace Simon
was charged with his murder. The
matter is currently being litigated.
None of this has brought closure to
the slain reporter’s grieving widow
though. “To me the Nchimbi report
was a farce: Its findings were
unrealistic, just another joke,” the soft-
spoken Itika told this reporter.
“It’s totally false and in my opinion,
the people behind the report did not
do the public justice. I don’t accept it,”
she said through muffled crying. She
is furious that the government has
not taken her husband’s killing
seriously and says this is the reason
Tanzanians no longer trust the
authorities.
To the photojournalist that captured
her husband’s final moment, she is
eternally grateful. She said without
people like him the truth would never
have been known.
Despite her tragic personal loss and
her immense pain, Itika takes the time
to remember everyone who has been
with her through this difficult period.
During our entire interview, she is a
show of grace, taking time to thank
those who have supported her and
her family as they try to come to terms
with Mr Mwangosi’s tragic passing.
She singles out Iringa Urban legislator
Mr Peter Msigwa, whose “exceptional
assistance,” has seen the family get
back on track, one day at a time.
According to her no government
official, either local or national, has
visited the fallen pressman’s family or
sent any condolences. Still, the family
has found the strength to carry on.
“My husband’s death was a total
shock but I’m digging deep and
finding the will to live on, and now,
I’m stronger than ever,” said Itika.
“It’s two months since the untimely
and brutal death of the man I dearly
loved and trusted. This man was
everything to me for he was always
there for me. He was a loving and
caring father to our four children. I
loved him so very much,” she says.

 

[Miwatamu]

Tunaomba mawakili wanaosimamia haki za binadamu wajitolee kumsaidia huyu mama jamani ili sheria ichukue mkondo wake, sie tupo nyuma yake kumuombea.

 

[T2015CCM]

Atakuwa amedanganywa na baadhi ya watu ili iwe mtaji wao wa kisiasa

 

[T2015CCM]

Tunaomba mawakili wanaosimamia haki za binadamu wajitolee kumsaidia huyu mama jamani ili sheria ichukue mkondo wake, sie tupo nyuma yake kumuombea.

kwanini uwe nyuma badala ya mbele?usanii huo

 

[Bujibuji Simba Nyamaume]

we jomba nakuonaga hamnazo kichwani, kila kitu unaleta ushabiki wa kisiasa

Atakuwa amedanganywa na baadhi ya watu ili iwe mtaji wao wa kisiasa

 

[Makupa]

Atakuwa amedanganywa na baadhi ya watu ili iwe mtaji wao wa kisiasa

Imagine angekuwa ni ndugu yaka ungefanyaje wewe

 

[cencer09]

Atakuwa amedanganywa na baadhi ya watu ili iwe mtaji wao wa kisiasa

kichaa wa kwanza tuwahesabu nadhani wako wengi

 

[C.T.U]

Atulie tu nyumbani afikiri ni jinsi gani ya kuwalea watoto hicho anachofanya anajidanganya atamaliza pesa ya mirathi bure na ya rambi rambi najua kuna. Watu watakurupuka na kusema sina akili ila kwa mtu mwenye akili atafanya kama nilivyomshauri aendelee na maisha yake yeye na wanawe..
Period

 

[Museven]

Atakuwa amedanganywa na baadhi ya watu ili iwe mtaji wao wa kisiasa

stupid mind. Huna utu, mnyama we!

 

[Museven]

Atulie tu nyumbani afikiri ni jinsi gani ya kuwalea watoto hicho anachofanya anajidanganya atamaliza pesa ya mirathi bure na ya rambi rambi najua kuna. Watu watakurupuka na kusema sina akili ila kwa mtu mwenye akili atafanya kama nilivyomshauri aendelee na maisha yake yeye na wanawe..
Period

another jinga! Angekuwa ndugu yako usingeropoka hivyo. Mwache apiganie haki ya mpendwa wake.

 

[Wingu]

Wapeleke upuuzi marehemu siku zake zilifika na vitamaa vya vijichenchi vya chama fulani vimemlambisha futi sita

 

[Ozzie]

Atulie tu nyumbani afikiri ni jinsi gani ya kuwalea watoto hicho anachofanya anajidanganya atamaliza pesa ya mirathi bure na ya rambi rambi najua kuna. Watu watakurupuka na kusema sina akili ila kwa mtu mwenye akili atafanya kama nilivyomshauri aendelee na maisha yake yeye na wanawe..
Period

C.T.U na wewe ulitoa rambirambi?

 

[Kichancheda]

Atulie tu nyumbani afikiri ni jinsi gani ya kuwalea watoto hicho anachofanya anajidanganya atamaliza pesa ya mirathi bure na ya rambi rambi najua kuna. Watu watakurupuka na kusema sina akili ila kwa mtu mwenye akili atafanya kama nilivyomshauri aendelee na maisha yake yeye na wanawe..
Period

kwenye red, Hivi ingekuwa ni wewe mkeo/mumeo kauawawa na serikali kupitia polisi ungekaa tuuu kimya nyumbani? au ndio yale msiba unamwenyewe.Nilazima ajihangaishe ili atatuliaje na ameondokewa na tegemezi lake.Majukumu ya familia aliyoachiwa ni makaubwa na ni makubwa mno ni lazima atafute haki zake ikiwemo kulipwa fidia.

 

[samilakadunda]

Jamani huyu mama anahaki zote za kudai fidia juu ya serikari iliyo amua kwa maksudi kumfanya awe mjane na atapata haki hiyo kwa kwenda mahakamani na sheria kufuata mkondo wake. Ningumu sana kutafsiri maumivu ya mwingine pia msiba au kufiwa kusikie kwa mwenzako, angali baro kamanda wa mwanza, kesi ime chukua 2weeks kilakitu kimekwisha.mm sikubaliani na kauli za wapumbavu wachache.hakika nasema nanyi mtaonja machungu ayapatayo mama huyu.kabla ya kuisha mwaka huu.mmenikera!!

 

[Mutakyamirwa]

Atakuwa amedanganywa na baadhi ya watu ili iwe mtaji wao wa kisiasa

Mkuu, sitaki kushambulia wazo lako, ila tukio kama ili lingeipata familia yako ungefanyaje? Kama wapo wenye mawazo yakutetea haki ya mama huyo na watoto vyema wafanye hivyo. Tuna haki ya kuishi sote pasipokuonewa na mtu yeyote na vyombo vya dola vinawajibu wakulinda haki hiyo na sivinginevyo. Kama serikali haiwezi kutenda haki juu ya hilo watoto wa Mwangosi wataitafuta dhidi yawaliyoikandamiza.

 

[desertfish]

Hivi hawa wanaojiita wanaharakati, kazi yao ni nini sasa! Mbona hapo ndio wangeonyesha uwanaharakati wao kwa kumsaidia huyo mama kupata haki zake.

 

[Lambardi]

Nimesikitika sana serikali kukaa kimya kabisa bila kusema lolote kwa mauaji yale ya makusudi kabisa!ila kwa aliefia kwenye kidonda wametumia nguvu kubwa mno kukamata washukiwa!JK ile huruma yako na imani yako iliishia wapi?ina maana imani haijakujia kwa kifo kile?kweli siasa mbaya sana;

 

[Salary Slip]

Wapeleke upuuzi marehemu siku zake zilifika na vitamaa vya vijichenchi vya chama fulani vimemlambisha futi sita

Kumbuka na wewe ni binadamu na hujafa hujaumbika.

 

[Mjenda Chilo]

Mi nasupport haki itendeke ila sijajua ground za kushtaki. Criminal offence state ndo inakuwa at stake, sasa sijui ni civil suit gani kwa mtu aliyeuwawb Im nt a lawyer na bahati mbaya wala sijasoma story yote. A perfect move ilikuwd ni mashinikizo kutoka asasi za kiraia ili haki itendeke. Naona wingu zito. pole mrs mwangosi

 

[Salary Slip]

Chadema nawashauri kutoa wanasheria na mawakili wa chama kwa gharama ya chama kumsaidia huyu mama ingawa nyinyi sio chanzo cha mauaji yake.