Good morning!The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on August 05, 2024.
President Samia urges leaders to safeguard the interests of farmers
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, addressing a rally in Ifakara town, Morogoro region, directed regional and district leaders to ensure a fair price for rice crops for farmers in the region.
President Samia, who is on an official visit to the region, said the price of rice in the field is low compared to the expenses farmers incur. It is because when they harvest, an opportunistic middleman benefits more than the producer. She stated that this is not fair.
On the other hand, the President blamed some local leaders for working together with middlemen to exploit rice farmers.
“We have been placed in various leadership positions to help our people. When leaders involve themselves in this business and exploit farmers, it is not right; you are not doing justice,” said President Samia.
The Morogoro region is one of the top five regions for food production in the country. One day before the rally, the President inaugurated a 69-kilometer tarmac road from Kidatu, Ruaha to Ifakara town, a road that will bring economic benefit by facilitating the transportation of agricultural products.
In another move to ensure rice producers benefit from fair crop prices, the President has ordered the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to buy rice from farmers at a price of Tsh900 compared to Tsh570 offered by opportunistic middlemen.
The President also assured the people gathered at her rally that her government would continue to provide subsidies for farm implements to reduce the costs of production that farmers incur.
LHRC, TLS, and THRDC condemn gang rape incident that sparked outrage, no arrests so far
The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC), and the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) have condemned the brutal act of sexual assault that befell a young woman allegedly residing in Yombo Dovya, Dar es Salaam.
LHRC, through its Executive Director Dr. Anna Henga, issued a statement condemning the brutal act. In its statement, LHRC called for accountability from the Tanzania military as initial information shows the perpetrators have links to the army.
“LHRC demands that all five perpetrators and their commander, who allegedly ordered the punishment, be arrested and brought to justice. Our Tanzanian military is highly respected in Africa and worldwide, and it must dissociate itself from this scandal of raping its citizens,” Dr. Henga said.
Videos circulating on social media show the young woman being violently assaulted by a group of men, an incident that has sparked outrage within the community. In the video, the assaulters claim they were punishing the woman for cheating with somebody’s husband, who they referred to as their military supervisor or officer.
THRDC National Coordinator, lawyer Onesmo Olengurumwa, said that such an incident of assault should not be ignored.
“No one has the right to inflict violence on another person under any circumstances, as doing so is against the law and human rights. We expect that the perpetrator will be arrested and brought to justice,” Olengurumwa said.
In their statement, TLS highlighted that the incident is not only against the laws of the country but also contravenes Tanzanian ethics and culture. TLS President Boniface Mwabukusi urged the police force to take legal action against the criminals and ensure they are swiftly apprehended and brought to court. “Every human being deserves respect, rights, and equality in our society. TLS calls on the community to stand together against all forms of abuse, harassment, and gender-based violence,” Mwabukusi stated.
Early on August 4, 2024, videos circulating showed several young men raping and sodomizing the young woman, recording the incident, and then sharing it online. The Tanzanian Police Force acknowledged receiving reports of the incident on August 4, 2024 and promised to take appropriate legal actions.
The identity of the men involved in the assault has been shared online, but Police are yet to share any arrest.
CHADEMA cadre disappearance sparks controversy, Rukwa police deny abduction claims
The disappearance of Dioniz Kipanya, the Secretary of Publicity for CHADEMA in the Sumbawanga District, has raised significant concerns and controversy. Kipanya went missing on July 26, 2024, leading to panic from his colleagues.
Speaking with The Chanzo yesterday, the Rukwa Regional Police Commander, SACP Shadrack Masija, confirmed that the police are investigating the incident but denied reports that Kipanya was abducted from his home by individuals posing as security officers.
Commander Masija clarified the circumstances surrounding Kipanya’s disappearance. “We have spoken with his family and relatives who were with him until the last moments. He received a phone call, told his family he was going to meet someone, and left. Since then, he has not returned. Claims that he was abducted by the police are mere rumors,” explained SACP Shadrack Masija.
He further urged anyone with information regarding Kipanya’s whereabouts to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation. “We are continuing with the investigation in collaboration with his family and other concerned parties. We urge anyone with information about him to help us in our search,” Masija added while speaking to our reporter.
Nyasa Zone CHADEMA Secretary, Gwamaka Mbugi, confirmed Kipanya’s disappearance and expressed concern over his safety. Mbugi highlighted Kipanya’s active participation in various online campaigns, particularly those related to missing persons and abductions.
“Since the 26th of last month, his whereabouts have remained unknown. He was supposed to be coordinating a visit by regional leaders in Rukwa. After he failed to show up, we checked on his family informed who said that he had left to meet someone and never returned,” said Mbugi.
Adding to the mystery, Mbugi revealed that before Kipanya’s disappearance, some individuals claiming to be from the Rukwa Regional Police Office visited his home looking for him.
“Before he went missing, some people came to his house claiming to be from the RPC’s office. They were told Kipanya was not home and had just left,” Mbugi explained.
Kipanya’s phone remains unreachable, and neither his family nor the party has any information on his whereabouts. The incident has been reported to the police under case number SUM/RB/3447/2024. This event has been linked to Kipanya’s activism, particularly his outspoken stance against abductions through various platforms.
Former Ubungo Municipality Mayor, Boniface Jacob, took to his social media account on X (formerly Twitter) to highlight Kipanya’s efforts in raising awareness about abductions and urged the public to voice their concerns about his disappearance. “We must not remain silent; we would be betraying Dioniz Kipanya. Dioniz has always spoken out against the scourge of abductions whenever they occur. He has raised his voice through his X account when others were abducted, such as Kombo Mbwana Twaha and Edger Edson Mwakabela (Sativa),” Jacob wrote.
This incident follows closely on the heels of another disappearance of a CHADEMA leader, Kombo Mbwana, in Tanga Region. Mbwana was forcibly taken from his home on June 15, 2024, and his whereabouts remained unknown until July 29, 2024, when the police announced they were holding him for using an unregistered SIM card.
According to Tanzanian law, the police are required to present a suspect in court within 24 hours, and the relatives of the suspect have the right to know their whereabouts. Despite a court order granting Mbwana bail, he remains in police custody.
Family in distress one month after their relative, a sisal trader, disappears in Tanga
The family of Enock John Chambala (41) remains deeply concerned about the fate of their relative, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances on July 6, 2024.
Chambala, a sisal trader residing in the Kange neighborhood of Tanga, has been unreachable since July 6, 2024. His family’s concern grew after repeated attempts to contact him by phone failed.
His younger brother, Baraka John Chambala, took it upon himself to visit Chambala’s home and inquire with relatives and friends about his whereabouts.
According to Baraka, the scene at his brother’s home suggested that Chambala left involuntarily, as food was left on the stove, which was still on low heat. He also noted that the door was found unlocked, which was unusual for Chambala.
Given the suspicious circumstances, the family reported the matter to the Tanga Police Station and was issued case number RB no. TAN|RB|3040|2024. However, there has been no progress in locating their relative, and they remain uncertain about his well-being.
Recently, there have been numerous reports of people going missing, with some cases involving abductions. The Police and the Government have stated that not all disappearances are related to abduction and have denied claims that security forces are involved in kidnapping Tanzanians.
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