Songea – The arrest of 15 suspects following the killing of a ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ward councillor and a businessman in Tunduru District has intensified calls for the government to take decisive action against recurring violence linked to farmer–pastoralist disputes in Ruvuma Region.
The latest incident occurred on October 16, 2026, at Mkambala Hamlet in Chiungo Village, Tunduru District, where CCM councillor for Misechele Ward Zuberi Abasi Binamu, 51, and businessman Omari Zuberi Yassini, 45, were killed in an attack at a funeral gathering. Three other people were injured.
Ruvuma Regional Police Commander ACP Marco G. Chilya said police had arrested 15 suspects and were pursuing others in connection with the killings.
“The police are conducting intensive operations, and so far, 15 suspects from the Mang’ati community have been arrested,” he said.
According to Chilya, the attack is believed to have resulted from a continuing cycle of retaliation between farmers and pastoralists. The violence reportedly began after a farmer was stabbed with a spear, prompting villagers to retaliate by attacking herders’ camps and injuring a 12-year-old child.
The three injured people are Abasi Makina, Daudi Seleman and Bakari Mtamila receiving treatment at Tunduru District Hospital.
Police urged residents not to take the law into their own hands, calling for calm as investigations and operations to apprehend other suspects continued.
The killings have raised fresh concerns about the local authorities’ ability to contain a conflict that has repeatedly threatened lives, property and peaceful coexistence in the district.
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Barely a month earlier, another outbreak of violence linked to the farmer–pastoralist dispute in Mrusha Village in Tunduru district left three people dead. The incident also resulted in the burning of a village government office and the destruction of property.
The latest deaths have brought renewed scrutiny to the regional government’s response, with CCM in Ruvuma demanding stronger enforcement of the law and accountability for officials it believes have failed to adequately address the situation.
On October 17, CCM Ruvuma Regional Chairperson Oddo Mwisho read a statement from the party’s Regional Political Committee, which had met a day earlier to discuss the security situation in Tunduru.
Mwisho said the party was dissatisfied with the regional government’s explanation of its strategy for addressing the violence, arguing that the continued loss of lives demonstrated the urgency of more effective intervention.
“As of yesterday, we had information that the number of people who had lost their lives had reached seven, while 37 people had been injured,” Mwisho said.
He added that some residents had lost property, while others had cases before the police, and called on the government to ensure that those responsible for killings, injuries, theft and other acts of violence were arrested and brought before the appropriate legal institutions.
CCM also raised concerns about alleged corruption among some police officers, saying such practices could undermine security operations and weaken public confidence in law enforcement.
Mwisho alleged that some individuals were facilitating the passage of livestock transport vehicles through checkpoints in circumstances that raised suspicions of bribery. He further claimed that similar concerns had emerged in some areas where police operations were underway.
“The police force is ours and does good work, but a few dishonest officers are discouraging citizens,” he said, warning that failure to address the alleged misconduct could allow the conflict to persist.
The allegations add another dimension to the dispute, shifting attention beyond the immediate clashes to questions about enforcement, accountability and whether existing measures are being implemented effectively.
The party called for intensified operations to arrest those involved in the violence and urged the regional government to take concrete measures to address the underlying conflict between farmers and herders.
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Tunduru North Member of Parliament Ado Shaibu Ado, who represents ACT Wazalendo, also called on government leaders to enforce the law firmly to prevent further deaths.
Speaking at the funeral of Binamu, Ado said he had previously raised concerns in Parliament, including before the Prime Minister, that blood continued to be shed in Tunduru despite repeated warnings.
He argued that the government had the authority to address the dispute by ensuring that livestock keeping was conducted in designated areas and that those violating the law were held accountable.
Ado also linked the security situation to the district’s geographical position near northern Mozambique, warning that prolonged instability could create vulnerabilities along the border.
“This is a message to the government that this matter is a security threat. This area of Tunduru is in a dangerous situation because we border northern Mozambique. We need to live in peace so that bad elements cannot infiltrate our country. What message is the government giving the people of Tunduru?” he said.
