By Kwanta Douglas –
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has urged police to fast-track investigations into the rising cases of brutal murders in the country and bring the killers to book.
Police reports show that 22 people have been killed in Tanzania since the beginning of this year, mostly following family quarrels.
Vice President Phillip Mpango tasked the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Simon Sirro, to launch investigations and take the suspects to court, and hence deter more people from such crimes.
Dr Mpango spoke this week in Dodoma region at the funeral of five slain relatives.
He said that the Tanzania government would not let such brutal killings to continue.
“I am issuing a seven-day ultimatum to Dodoma regional defence and security committee to ensure they complete investigations and compile a report on the killing of five family members in the region then submit it to the President,” he said.
The five, who were from Zanka village in Dodoma, were brutally killed by unknown assailants late last week and their bodies discovered on Saturday.
In November last year a student from the Sokoine University of Agriculture was killed and her body dumped at the institution’s farm in Morogoro.
Several other murders have rocked Morogoro, Arusha, Rukwa, Kilimanjaro, Mtwara and Mbeya, mostly connected with family strife and psychological problems.
Legal and Human Right Centre (LHRC) Executive Director, Anna Henga, associated the rise in murders to unemployment and moral decay.
Hamad Masauni, Minister for Home Affairs, also raised concern over the rise in murders mainly associated with love affairs, inheritance, superstition and property conflicts.
