Addressing hundreds of Muslims who turned up to mark Mawlid al-Nabi, held nationally in Shelui, Iramba District in Singida Region, the Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, stressed that the government will not tolerate individuals or groups of people who will endanger peace and security of the nation by engaging in criminal or terror activities.
Mr Majaliwa was responding to a statement from the Secretary General of the National Muslim Council of Tanzania, BAKWATA, Sheikh Suleiman Lolila, who expressed the Muslim community’s concern on the increase of criminal and terror incidents in the country, which are wrongly being linked to Islam by its perpetrators.
The premier acknowledged the threat, underscoring at the same time the need for religious leaders and the general public to assist the government in bringing the situation under control by preaching moral values and providing information to security organs on individuals and groups engaging in such activities.
“These individuals or groups of people do not live in a different planet from us. They live in our homes. We go to mosques and churches with them. It is our responsibility to report them to security organs so they can be stopped from continuing to cause mayhem within our society,” he stressed, citing wayward youth groups such as ‘Panya Road’ in Dar es Salaam and those hijacking trucks along Sekenke area.
He cited recent incidents of seven people whose bodies were found along Ruvu River at Mtoni Village, Makurunge Ward, Bagamoyo District in Coast Region early this month, stressing that the government’s security organs were investigating to ensure the culprits are nabbed to face the law.
“Yesterday (Sunday) in Igunga, a businessman who operates a ‘bodaboda’ was kidnapped and murdered by unknown people. They stole his motorcycle’s important parts. Such incidents cannot be allowed to continue within Tanzania’s society, long used to living in peace. I am happy that the Minister for Home Affairs is here.
The security organs will work round the clock to nab the culprits involved,” he vowed. Mr Majaliwa used the opportunity to wish all Christians and Tanzanians merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as they usher in the New Year 2017. Earlier in his statement to the government, Sheikh Lolila said there has been an increase of criminal and terror incidents in the country in the past few months, especially in Mwanza, Morogoro, Mkuranga and Tanga, which resulted into deaths of innocent Tanzanians.
“What is even sadder is that the perpetrators have been linking these terror activities with the Muslim religion. Islam means peace and teaches people to live in peace and love and not otherwise,” he stressed, noting that BAKWATA is greatly saddened by the terror incidents.
He said the Muslim council was proposing to the government to form a permanent national committee as well as regional committees that will comprise of, among other people, religious leaders from all the religions that will critically look into the issue.
“These national and regional committees should involve the security organs as well as youth from all the regions and all its activities including discussions should be transparent. We need to take these steps to ensure these incidents do not escalate and get out of hand.It is clear from recent terror incidents in different regions that they have been increasing and resulting into deaths of innocent people across the country.
It might be possible that these incidents are instigated by people from outside the country,” the senior BAKWATA official observed. Sheikh Lolila added that individuals and groups of people have been smeared that they are terrorists, with some now wallowing in jails - awaiting investigations to be completed. He called on the government to speed up investigations so that the trials could begin and justice be seen to be done.
“Security organs conducting the investigations must also be careful to ensure innocent people are not implicated by malicious people who are out to get them,” he added. The Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Mwigulu Nchemba, speaking at the same event, called on all religious leaders and the general public to provide security organs with information of individuals or groups engaging in criminal or terror activities.
Mr Nchemba said anyone who commits a criminal offence should not be judged according to the person’s religion or belief, the same way that the person is not judged according to their tribe. He called on security organs to ensure investigations are conducted thoroughly to avoid implicating innocent people who were not involved in criminal or terror activities.
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