CHADEMA
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 13, 2013
- 488
- 2,468
By Chadema Media
NKOME, GEITA. The main opposition party in the country, CHADEMA, has warned against the cruel actions carried out by security forces in various areas of the country against citizens, including the killing of suspects involved in criminal offences.
The opposition political party accuses the country's security forces of killing citizens who are arrested for illegal fishing in Victoria Lake and poaching in the National Parks of Rubondo, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro, to mention just a few.
"The Government and its security agencies have decided to value animals more than its citizens by taking the law into their own hands and killing citizens for offenses such as illegal fishing and poaching," said CHADEMA's National Chairman Mr Freeman Mbowe while addressing a public meeting in Nkome village, in Geita Region on Monday August 7, 2023.
The opposition political party further revealed that various families of fishermen in the Victoria Lake Zone, in Geita Region in particular, are reported to have been left with widows due to their husbands being killed by the security forces, while others have been denied even the opportunity to bury their beloved ones.
Mr Mbowe also explained that there is no law in Tanzania that grants security forces the authority to kill suspects of various criminal offences. He further added that according to Tanzanian laws, there are only two offences that are punishable by death; murder and overthrowing the government.
"I understand that there are laws established to protect our natural resources like lakes and national parks, but there is no law in this country that empowers security forces to kill suspects of criminal offences. Instead, the laws require security forces to arrest suspects and take legal actions, including bringing them to court," said Mr Mbowe.
He added, "Only the High Court and the Court of Appeal have the legal authority to hear criminal cases and give appropriate judgments to the accused."
The opposition political leader is currently in the Geita region as part of his party's tour of the Victoria Lake regions in preparation for upcoming local government elections scheduled for next year and the presidential election in 2025.
Ends-
NKOME, GEITA. The main opposition party in the country, CHADEMA, has warned against the cruel actions carried out by security forces in various areas of the country against citizens, including the killing of suspects involved in criminal offences.
The opposition political party accuses the country's security forces of killing citizens who are arrested for illegal fishing in Victoria Lake and poaching in the National Parks of Rubondo, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro, to mention just a few.
"The Government and its security agencies have decided to value animals more than its citizens by taking the law into their own hands and killing citizens for offenses such as illegal fishing and poaching," said CHADEMA's National Chairman Mr Freeman Mbowe while addressing a public meeting in Nkome village, in Geita Region on Monday August 7, 2023.
The opposition political party further revealed that various families of fishermen in the Victoria Lake Zone, in Geita Region in particular, are reported to have been left with widows due to their husbands being killed by the security forces, while others have been denied even the opportunity to bury their beloved ones.
Mr Mbowe also explained that there is no law in Tanzania that grants security forces the authority to kill suspects of various criminal offences. He further added that according to Tanzanian laws, there are only two offences that are punishable by death; murder and overthrowing the government.
"I understand that there are laws established to protect our natural resources like lakes and national parks, but there is no law in this country that empowers security forces to kill suspects of criminal offences. Instead, the laws require security forces to arrest suspects and take legal actions, including bringing them to court," said Mr Mbowe.
He added, "Only the High Court and the Court of Appeal have the legal authority to hear criminal cases and give appropriate judgments to the accused."
The opposition political leader is currently in the Geita region as part of his party's tour of the Victoria Lake regions in preparation for upcoming local government elections scheduled for next year and the presidential election in 2025.
Ends-
