The Citizen Bureau Chief
Mwanza. Police in Mwanza City have arrested 131 people in connection with the Tuesday riots by hawkers, that left one person dead and three others injured.
The Mwanza regional police commander, Mr Simon Sirro, told a news conference yesterday that preliminary investigations have revealed that the ammunition used during violent confrontations between the hawkers and law enforcers was that of shotguns normally owned by private individuals and city askaris.
“None of our officers fired a shot; and since victims were not shot by city askaris, our suspicion is that they must have been hit by bullets fired by private individuals who were determined to protect their properties from looters who were out to take advantage of the chaos and rob them,” said Mr Sirro.
The police chief explained that the law allows civilians to own the type of weapons that were used during the incident. These, weapons, he noted, are the same that are used by auxiliary police (militias) such as city askaris.
Mr Sirro had earlier blamed the incident on misunderstandings among the city council officials in areas which hawkers are allowed to go about their business.
Confirming the RPC’s charges, the Mwanza City mayor, Mr Josephat Manyerere (Chadema), told journalists that he was not informed by the City Council director that an operation to remove hawkers who cover a stretch of less than 30 metres was going to take place on Tuesday.
“This is contrary to standard practice and procedure. The director ought to inform my office of such operations, but he deliberately chose not to inform me or the area MP,” he said.
Elaborating further, Mr Manyerere claimed that there has been a deliberate effort by the city director’s office to undermine Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema). “That is something I have noted and have been monitoring for quite a while now,” he said. The visibly angered Manyerere told journalists at his office that his party would file complaints with the necessary authorities.
The Citizen, however, learnt that the office of the Municipal Director had informed the Regional Commissioner’s office, the Nyamagana District Commissioner as well as the Mwanza Regional Security Committee that the operation would take place.
At the same, Home Affairs Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha flew into the city yesterday for what security sources described as “crisis talks”.
The sources told The Citizen the minister would hold talks with the regional security team before proceeding to Tarime and Rorya special police zone at the weekend.