Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.

After going missing for 29 days, police confirm to detain Kombo Mbwana for social media misuse. Experts say it’s unlawful detention and a crime by police

Police in the Tanga region confirmed on July 14, 2024, to have detained Kombo Twaha Mbwana a 29-year-old businessman and CHADEMA’s party leader in Handeni for allegedly offenses related to misuse of social media platforms.

Since June 15, 2024, Kombo Mbwana’s family, friends, and party colleagues have been searching for him after he went missing. According to his mother, Hellena Joseph, several individuals came to his house around 8 a.m. that day, accusing him of illegally living on his plot. They manhandled him and forced him into their vehicle.

“A man came to his home saying that Kombo was living there illegally, that he had bought three hectares of the plot, and traveled. He told Kombo that his documents were in his vehicle, but they ended up taking him, they did not identify themselves,” said Helena Joseph during the CHADEMA rally in Handeni on June 30, 2024.

Speaking to the press on July 15, 2024, the acting Regional Police Commander of Tanga, ACP Zacharia Bernard said Kombo was in detention for the misuse of social media.

Read the full report here

President Samia commends the Police for calmness in the country

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has commended the Tanzania Police for ensuring the country is tranquil. President Samia remarked on this during the launching of the Katavi Regional Police building on July 14, 2024, in the Katavi region where she commenced her tour.

“I commend the Police Force for implementing recommendations from the Criminal Justice Reform Commission and for following my directives,” said President Samia.

“As you can see political activities are continuing and the country remains calm, I congratulate you the Police force,” she added

President Samia is in Katavi region for official government tour which commenced on July 12 and expected to conclude on July 15, 2024.

Dar Police say the missing person allegedly detained since 2023 is a kidnapper; police are actively searching for him

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Jumanne Muliro has announced on July 13, 2024, that the police are searching for Adinan Hussein Mbezi, a 32-year-old businessman who went missing on September 12, 2023, and is allegedly involved in kidnapping wealthy individuals.

“The police are investigating and closely following up on reports circulating on social media regarding the disappearance of Adinan Hussein Mbezi, also known as Adam,” said Muliro. “The truth of the matter is that the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone is actively searching for this individual and his associates on suspicion of kidnapping people, particularly prominent businesspersons.”

The online report Muliro referred to is a social media post by the former Mayor of Ubungo, Boniface Jacob, concerning Mbezi’s disappearance. Due to the increasing news of disappearances, Jacob has invited Tanzanians to share information about their abducted or missing loved ones.

On July 11, 2024, Boniface Jacob published a post about Adinan Mbezi, which has gone viral. The report indicates that Adinan was arrested by the police in Mwanza and transported to Dar es Salaam, where he was taken to Tazara Police Station. He then called his mother asking for a friend’s number and later called his wife, informing her that he was at the Central Police Station and then at Stakishari, where he told her he was badly wounded and needed 500,000 shillings.

The post reveals that relatives sent 500,000 shillings and later 2.5 million shillings through mobile numbers, and physically handed over 10 million shillings to someone they claim to be a top police official.

In their report, the police state that Adam and his colleague had kidnapped a businessman of Indian origin, Maaz Mohamed 927), on September 11, 2024, around Bibi Titi road, robbing him of 357 million shillings and USD 38,000, and released him with the expectation that he would present them with 100,000,000 shillings.

Upon learning about the incident, the police set a trap on September 12, 2023, around the Tanzanite Bridge, where the group attempted to kidnap the businessman again. However, they fled, abandoning their vehicle with license plate number T146 DPY at Muhimbili. The vehicle was later towed to the Salender Bridge Police Station.

Police claim Adinani and his associates were identifying themselves as officials from TRA, PCCB, and Tanzania Intelligence Security Services.

Government says Simu 2000 BRT depot project must be implemented

The government has reiterated that the construction project for a rapid bus transit depot at Simu 2000 must proceed, despite opposition from local traders who staged a protest on July 8, 2024, closing roads around Simu 2000, a popular bus stand, chanting, “We don’t want a depot, we want our market.”

Speaking to traders on July 13, as promised, Chalamila stated that the project will be implemented at the site, with experts involved in construction considering their recommendations but advised the traders to prepare themselves psychologically.

The planned depot is part of the third and fourth phases of the Dar es Salaam BRT Systems which is supported by a USD 287 million loan from the World Bank. The forth phase involve the construction of BRT roads from Posta-Mwenge to Ubungo and Mwenge to Tegeta as well as the construction of two depots at Simu 2000 and Mbuyuni Tegeta.

The planned depot at Simu 2000 and Mbuyuni as well as Kivukoni terminal will be constructed by a joint venture of Kunhwa Engineering & Consulting Co. Ltd and Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation for TZS 60.9 billion.

DART has agreed to give Ubungo Municipal Council three to six months to educate traders before commencing construction. Traders have expressed readiness to support the plan if their suggestions are taken into account. The construction project for the depot was scheduled to start on June 30, 2023, but has been delayed due to this conflict.

Most of the traders complained that there were told by the government that Simu 2000 will be a permanent market for the traders after their relocation from road reserve in 2016 and 2021. Dar es Salaam regional Commissioner Aexplain to the traders that their place can not be assured on long term, traders must graduate from petty traders to big traders or else they will continue to suffer transfers from one place to the next.

The government emphasizes that this project is crucial for the country’s development and must be implemented to benefit the community.

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