Kuhani, kumtia mtu kizuizini bila kumfikisha mahakamani si kosa katika nchi ambayo mpaka leo mna sheria ya detention. Iondoeni hiyo sheria kwanza. At least Durado alitoka kizuizini na kupata au kuendelea na kazi yake.
Jasusi,
Sikia Mkuu. Ukishamfunga mtu jela bila mashitaka huwezi ukasema "at least alitoka kizuizini na kuendelea na kazi yake." Ni aibu kutetea ovu eti kwa sababu mngeweza kumnyang'anya na kazi pia. Ni unyama huo. Na vipi hao wengine ambao hamkuwarudishia kazi zao, na wale waliotoka hoi nusu ya kufa na magonjwa ya vifua kwa kufungiwa kwenye vyumba vya giza na vumbi na visivyo na hewa Oysterbay detention camp ?
Halafu ile sheria ya Mazuizi ya Kuzuia ilikuwa ni unjust law. Sehemu nyingine duniani inavyofanya kazi unaweza ku challenge kizuizi chako, kutumia Habeas Corpus proceedings. Lakini ya Tanzania ilikuwa inasema kinachoamuliwa na Rais ndio kimeshaamuliwa, imetoka. Hakuna due process protections kuhakikisha haki. Mpaka walipoibadilisha kuruhusu Habeas Corpus challenges mwaka 1985 wakati J.K. Nyerere anaondoka. Haikuwa sheria ya haki.
Halafu, hata kama ukisema ni sheria iliyokuwepo kwa hivyo sheria ni sheria, bado kinachosumbua na kinachoumiza sana ni kuwa sheria yenyewe haikufuatwa. Kwa mfano, kuna wakati political police wa J.K. Nyerere walikuwa wanasahau kupata muhuri au saini ya Nyerere kufanya preventive detention iwe halali. Mawakili wa waliowekwa kizuizini wana challenge mahakamani halafu henchmen wa Nyerere wanaiambia mahakama tutaleta muhuri ya Rais baadae. Yani dharau juu ya ubabe, ufidhuli juu ya uhasidi.
..the Court of Appeal declared that the detention order in this particular case was invalid for lack of a public seal. However, the detainee remained in custody. The state authorities had rushed to the President on his return to the country and obtained a new detention order which met all the requirements. (1)
Kuna siku detainee mmoja, Happy George Maeda, aliishinda state authority ya Nyerere mahakamani. Kumbe security forces zikawa zimeshajiandaa kutokushindwa. Alipoambiwa na jaji uko huru tu, ile anatoka kwenye ngazi za mahakama political police wa Nyerere wanae! Wakamkwida upya. Majaji wa Tanzania walisikitika mno. Jaji Mwesiumo anasema "hiyo sio dharau ya Mahakama tu, ila dharau ya sheria za nchi na Katiba yake." (2)
Halafu kuna sheria nyingine shemeji yake na hii ya preventive detention, ikiitwa The Deportation Ordinance of 1921. Inaruhusu Rais aamue kuku "deport" kutoka sehemu moja ya Tanganyika kwenda kwingine. Mara nyingi ulikuwa unafungiwa kijijini kwa Mama yako. Ilianza kutumiwa na wakoloni kuhamisha watemi walioonekana vurugu vurugu. Nyerere nae, masikini, akawa anaitumia! Kuna siku mwekwa kizuizini ali challenge deportation. Mahakama ikatuma summons kwa Mkuu wa Jeshi la Magereza aje kujieleza imekuwaje hakuna muhuri na saini ya Raisi. Mkuu wa magereza alikuwa hana detention order. Hakujali, na mahakamani hakuja, akatuma photocopy ya detention order yenye muhuri na saini ya Rais iliyopigwa tarehe ya mbele zaidi ya alipotumiwa summons. Yaani siku mfungwa anawekwa kizuizini kulikuwa hakuna detention order, ila state authority ya Nyerere wakakimbia Ikulu na J.K. Nyerere akatia saini baada ya mtu kukamatwa. (3)
Unaweza kusema haya ni ma technicality tu. Lakini si hivyo. Jaji wa Mahakama Kuu alisema kwamba hata ukisahau kuanisha kijijiji unachoenda kumfungia muwekwa kizuizini hilo ni kosa la msingi.
"the omission to specify the place to where the subject to the order and the warrant is to be sent, cannot be said to be a mere technicality, but is a material irregularity." (4)
Kwa hiyo utaona, Jasusi, hata ukisema hizi sheria za kihasidi ni halali, bado hawakufuata sheria zinavyosema. Sheria ya kikatili halafu wewe unaongeza ushetani juu yake. Matokeo yake ndio nusu-unduli wa ile enzi. J.K. Nyerere anasoma ninachoandika hapa kutoka kaburini, na anajua simsemei uongo. Simtukani, nasema yaliyojiri wakati wa era ya Preventive Detention Act of 1962. Mtu mwenye kuchonga chonga sana kama mimi wakati wa enzi za J.K. Nyerere ilikuwa jehanamu. Ndio maana nawaenzi hawa mababa zangu waliokuwa na kende za kuhojiana na J.K. Nyerere. Yeye Mwalimu, bahati mbaya, hakuwa nazo, ndio maana akawa anawatuma political police wakamate wabunge wanaochangia bajeti bungeni! Think about that!
(1 )
Attorney-General v. Lesinoi Ndeinai, [1980], Incarcerating the Innocent😛reventive Detention in Tanzania, The Johns Hopkins University Press. CHRIS PETER MAINA
( 2) Edward Mlaki and Liston Matemba v. Regional Police Commander Kilimanjaro Region and Secretary Regional Security Committee Kilimanjaro Region, High Court of Tanzania at Arusha, Misc. App No.38 of 1979.
( 3 ) High Court of Tanzania at Dar es Salaam, Misc. App No. 44 of 1979
( 4 ) In the Matter of an Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Subjiciendum and In the Matter of Detention of Winfred Ngonyani at Keko Remand Prison in Dar es Salaam, 1982. CHRIS PETER MAINA