Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete vows to hunt Arusha church bombers
Dodoma — THE National Assembly on Wednesday passed resolution seeking enactment of laws to curb statements propagating hatred in the society by politicians, clerics and other people.
Moving the resolution in the House, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Defence and Security Committee, Ms Anna Abdallah, said people propagating hatred and sowing seeds of discord in the country must be taken to task.
The resolution was in response to last Sunday’s fatal blast at St Joseph’s Church in Arusha, where three people died and over 60 others injured.The MPs called for thorough investigations and bring to justice all those responsible for the cruel and despicable act.
Moreover, they called upon the government to get to the root of the current religious tension and bigotry in the country.
Debating on the resolution, Mr Zitto Kabwe (Kigoma North-Chadema) stressed on the need to review the laws to take to task the high priests of the gospel of hatred and divisive politics.
Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals, George Simbachawene, said the MPs should strive to act responsibly when issuing remarks on sensitive matters like religion and the right of worship.
Mr Mohamed Habib Mnyaa (Mkanyageni – CUF) said the government and the people should play their part in ensuring freedom and right of worship were preserved without disrupting peace, tranquility and national unity.
“I believe some foreign agents have a hand in this. We must be very careful with whoever intends to disturb the peace we are currently enjoying. Once peace is gone we cannot enjoy the freedom of woship again,” he said.
Mr James Mbatia (Nominated – NCCR-Mageuzi) said enforcing laws will be useless unless the people reflect and safeguard nationhood.He said the government should act tough and take proper action to all who go against the law, saying politicians have a hand in the current situation.
“The government must act according to the laws and they should not fear or favour anyone if we want to end this mess,” he warned.He castigated politicians who want to throw the nation into bloodbath, saying such people deserve to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
Mr Augustine Mrema (Vunjo-TLP) said the government has its share of blame in the current mess for recklessly licensing suspect religious groups.He advised that faith based meetings with intention to disparage other creeds should be banned.
The Minister of State in the President’s Office (Social Relations and Coordination), Mr Stephen Wasira, said worshipers want peace and the government would not allow disintegration of the nation on religious lines.He called upon the people to unite and refuse to be pushed into civil unrest.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly Speaker, Ms Anne Makinda, yesterday left for Arusha, leading a delegation of 25 MPs to console bereaved families and victims of Sunday’s bomb attack.Ms Makinda said all legislators have agreed to contribute their one-day sitting allowance as their support to the bereaved families and the injured.
In another development, the Arusha Regional Commissioner, Mr Magesa Mulongo, said on Wednesday that police have arrested three Emirati men and a Saudi national over the deadly church bombing, clarfiying earlier reports that all four were from Saudi Arabia.
He said five Tanzanians have also been arrested following the attack on a packed church.”There are three nationals of the United Arab Emirates and a Saudi… they were arrested while trying to cross the border into Kenya,” Arusha RC was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, ABDULWAKIL SAIBOKO reports that the CUF Chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba has said that the public should be told the source of recent series of terrorist attacks in the country to clear speculations.
Prof Lipumba said in Dar es Salaam that attacks on religious leaders in Zanzibar and last Sunday’s incident in Arusha have created panic and speculations among citizens.
“The government should not only hunt the culprits, but it should also carry out investigations and tell us clearly who is behind these attacks,” he said.”CUF joins other leaders to express deep grief following the attack in Arusha, but this incident should not be treated in isolation because it is a continuation and something needs to be done to ensure that citizens enjoy total peace,” he said.
He commended the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo for distancing the Arusha incident from religious hatred and called on citizens to shun religious quarrels.
