20 July 2022
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
NEWSPOLITICS
But the Head of State expresses interest in reforming Tanzania’s criminal justice system, with the special committee for the purpose being formed.
Some human rights activists in Tanzania have expressed displeasure over President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s decision to appoint Camillus Wambura and Ramadhan Kingai as Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) respectively.
President Samia sworn in the two on Wednesday during a function at the State House in the capital Dodoma, alongside other appointed officials, against the background of an intensive debate over the legitimacy of the two in overseeing law enforcement in the country.
Mr Wambura was serving as the DCI before Tuesday’s appointment as the new IGP. He is replacing Simon Sirro who has been appointed ambassador to Zimbabwe. Before his recent appointment, Kingai was serving as Kigoma regional police commander.
Wambura and Kingai played a significant role in
the government’s attempt to convict CHADEMA national chairperson Freeman Mbowe and his co-accused of terrorism and money laundering, with the latter even
appearing in court to testify against Mr Mbowe.
The case was
dropped on March 4, 2022, after the Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) argued that he no longer had an interest in pursuing the case that CHADEMA and other rights activists labeled a political and trumped-up one.
While Wambura and Kingai were serving as DCI and Kinondoni regional police commander, respectively, a number of incidents also took place that brought the police’s conduct into question.
One of these incidents involves the
disappearance of five men namely Tawfiq Mohammed, Seif Swala, Edwin Kunambi, Hemed Abbas and Rajab Mdowe who went missing on December 26, 2021, in Dar es Salaam to never be found again. To date, the police have not provided any explanations regarding the men’s fate.
‘Bad appointments’
Commenting on the appointment of Wambura and Kingai, lawyer and activist Fatma Karume told
The Chanzo that with the appointments, President Samia “has shot herself in the feet.”
“She has made bad appointments that will impact her credibility and her commitments to the rule of law,” said Fatma who has been vocal in demanding that police follow the laws and regulations during the course of their work, especially when it comes to issues of arresting and detaining suspects.
READ more : source :
Activists Fault Samia’s Appointments of Wambura, Kingai - The Chanzo Initiative