The Informer
Senior Member
- Jun 14, 2010
- 119
- 29
REVEALED: How commercial poachers masterminded Kagasheki's fall
DAR ES SALAAM
A powerful network of commercial poachers masterminded the downfall of the former minister for natural resources and tourism, Khamis Kagasheki, by systematically sabotaging the government's anti-poaching operation, it has been revealed.
The carefully orchestrated plot by poachers to remove Kagasheki from his job was aided knowingly and unknowingly by members of parliament who made a chorus of calls last week for the minister's exit following reports of gross human rights abuses in the execution of the anti-poaching campaign known as "Operesheni Tokomeza" (Operation Destroy).
A parliamentary inquiry tabled a scathing report in Parliament on November 20, outlining horrific acts of murder, rape, torture and extortion of innocent civilians by corrupt elements among members of security forces who took part in Operation Tokomeza. Following the unveiling of the parliamentary probe report, there was a wave of calls from lawmakers from both the ruling CCM party and opposition camp for government ministers to be axed. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda applauded Kagasheki for displaying courage by announcing his resignation as a sign of taking political responsibility for atrocities committed by security forces in the operation.
Three other ministers -- Home Affairs Minister Emmanuel Nchimbi, Defence Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha and Livestock Development Minister David Mathayo -- were swiftly sacked by President Jakaya Kikwete. Well-placed sources revealed how commercial poachers behind the ongoing slaughter of thousands of elephants and rhinos in Tanzania were the architects of the move, who secretly engineered Kagasheki's removal.
"Kagasheki came to the ministry with firm leadership and swept his iron broom, sacking corrupt officials behind the rampant wildlife poaching. He made life very difficult for commercial poachers and that's why they had to get rid of him by any means necessary," a senior wildlife official said. "Unlike some of his predecessors at the ministry, Kagasheki was incorruptible and he was determined to eliminate commercial poaching. So this powerful criminal network decided to sabotage Operation Tokomeza and this was done by bribing some corrupt politicians and journalists to fiercely oppose this operation."
The report of the parliamentary probe team chaired by the Kahama MP, James Lembeli, confirmed that Operation Tokomeza was sabotaged both from within and by outside forces. "Operation Tokomeza was undermined by acts of sabotage," said part of the report. The report said the operation was infiltrated by "mercenaries" who were involved in looting and other criminal activities.
"The media was also used to disrupt this operation and spread propaganda aimed at influencing members of the public to oppose this exercise," said the report. "Some members of parliament were accused of involvement in poaching activities and the illegal trade in government trophies ... the presence of these acts of sabotage means that there was no real commitment by some government officials to fight poaching."
The parliamentary report also revealed how members of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) kept a tight control of the military-led Operation Tokomeza, with Kagasheki having neither operation control nor information on what was actually going on. The parliamentary inquiry established that Kagasheki was deliberately kept in the dark on details of Operation Tokomeza by his own officials, hence he was not even aware of what was really happening on the ground as some members of security forces looted, killed and raped innocent civilians.
The operation was carried out by over 2,300 people, including 885 soldiers, 480 policemen, 440 members of the anti-poaching unit, 383 game rangers from the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), 99 forestry officials, 51 game rangers from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), 23 prosecutors and 100 magistrates. Criminal activities committed by some members of security forces tarnished the entire operation, which recorded big successes in the one month of the operation before it was suspended last month.
Despite the shockingly brutal nature of the operation, the exercise managed to significantly slowdown the rate of elephant slaughter from an average of 2 elephants killed every day in Tanzanian parks, to just 2 elephants killed in the one month of the operation. The operation arrested over 1,000 suspects and confiscated 211 elephant tusks and over 1,600 firearms, including 18 military-style weapons.
The horrific criminal acts that some members of security forces carried were unacceptable and those responsible must be punished. But Kagasheki was just an unfortunate scapegoat in this whole thing, said one government official familiar with Operation Tokomeza.
"Kagasheki's resignation is truly a sad day for our diminishing elephant and rhino populations and the collective fight against poaching in Tanzania. Commercial poachers are now congratulating themselves immensely for a job well done by getting rid of this graft-fighting minister."
(Source: RasilimaliWatch Home)
DAR ES SALAAM
A powerful network of commercial poachers masterminded the downfall of the former minister for natural resources and tourism, Khamis Kagasheki, by systematically sabotaging the government's anti-poaching operation, it has been revealed.
The carefully orchestrated plot by poachers to remove Kagasheki from his job was aided knowingly and unknowingly by members of parliament who made a chorus of calls last week for the minister's exit following reports of gross human rights abuses in the execution of the anti-poaching campaign known as "Operesheni Tokomeza" (Operation Destroy).
A parliamentary inquiry tabled a scathing report in Parliament on November 20, outlining horrific acts of murder, rape, torture and extortion of innocent civilians by corrupt elements among members of security forces who took part in Operation Tokomeza. Following the unveiling of the parliamentary probe report, there was a wave of calls from lawmakers from both the ruling CCM party and opposition camp for government ministers to be axed. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda applauded Kagasheki for displaying courage by announcing his resignation as a sign of taking political responsibility for atrocities committed by security forces in the operation.
Three other ministers -- Home Affairs Minister Emmanuel Nchimbi, Defence Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha and Livestock Development Minister David Mathayo -- were swiftly sacked by President Jakaya Kikwete. Well-placed sources revealed how commercial poachers behind the ongoing slaughter of thousands of elephants and rhinos in Tanzania were the architects of the move, who secretly engineered Kagasheki's removal.
"Kagasheki came to the ministry with firm leadership and swept his iron broom, sacking corrupt officials behind the rampant wildlife poaching. He made life very difficult for commercial poachers and that's why they had to get rid of him by any means necessary," a senior wildlife official said. "Unlike some of his predecessors at the ministry, Kagasheki was incorruptible and he was determined to eliminate commercial poaching. So this powerful criminal network decided to sabotage Operation Tokomeza and this was done by bribing some corrupt politicians and journalists to fiercely oppose this operation."
The report of the parliamentary probe team chaired by the Kahama MP, James Lembeli, confirmed that Operation Tokomeza was sabotaged both from within and by outside forces. "Operation Tokomeza was undermined by acts of sabotage," said part of the report. The report said the operation was infiltrated by "mercenaries" who were involved in looting and other criminal activities.
"The media was also used to disrupt this operation and spread propaganda aimed at influencing members of the public to oppose this exercise," said the report. "Some members of parliament were accused of involvement in poaching activities and the illegal trade in government trophies ... the presence of these acts of sabotage means that there was no real commitment by some government officials to fight poaching."
The parliamentary report also revealed how members of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) kept a tight control of the military-led Operation Tokomeza, with Kagasheki having neither operation control nor information on what was actually going on. The parliamentary inquiry established that Kagasheki was deliberately kept in the dark on details of Operation Tokomeza by his own officials, hence he was not even aware of what was really happening on the ground as some members of security forces looted, killed and raped innocent civilians.
The operation was carried out by over 2,300 people, including 885 soldiers, 480 policemen, 440 members of the anti-poaching unit, 383 game rangers from the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), 99 forestry officials, 51 game rangers from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), 23 prosecutors and 100 magistrates. Criminal activities committed by some members of security forces tarnished the entire operation, which recorded big successes in the one month of the operation before it was suspended last month.
Despite the shockingly brutal nature of the operation, the exercise managed to significantly slowdown the rate of elephant slaughter from an average of 2 elephants killed every day in Tanzanian parks, to just 2 elephants killed in the one month of the operation. The operation arrested over 1,000 suspects and confiscated 211 elephant tusks and over 1,600 firearms, including 18 military-style weapons.
The horrific criminal acts that some members of security forces carried were unacceptable and those responsible must be punished. But Kagasheki was just an unfortunate scapegoat in this whole thing, said one government official familiar with Operation Tokomeza.
"Kagasheki's resignation is truly a sad day for our diminishing elephant and rhino populations and the collective fight against poaching in Tanzania. Commercial poachers are now congratulating themselves immensely for a job well done by getting rid of this graft-fighting minister."
(Source: RasilimaliWatch Home)