Our lives are in danger, MPs claim as ‘abductions’ persist

A cross-section of members of parliament yesterday expressed fears for their safety amid claims that a special group of officers from within the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services (TISS) is under instructions to “deal” with them.The legislators asserted that the country is no longer safe following recent incidents where prominent individuals have reportedly been abducted by people alleged to be security officers and whisked away to unknown places.
Speaking while presenting motions for the matter to be discussed in the National Assembly, the MPs claimed that although it is famous people whose disappearances get noticed quickly, it is possible that many not-so-famous people also disappear in the same way, but unnoticed.
The issue was first raised by Nzega MP Hussein Bashe (CCM), who requested deputy speaker Tulia Ackson to suspend parliamentary business so the matter could be discussed more thoroughly.
Bashe caused a stir when he claimed that he is one of 11legislators who are being targeted by the so-called TISS team, the alleged aim being to tame them or “eliminate” them altogether.
“I received a short text message from a cabinet minister warning me to be careful as the group is out to get me. The message warned me to be watchful on the road because anything can happen at any time,” Bashe told the House.
He said the ongoing people “arrests” and disappearances are spoiling the image of both the government and the ruling CCM party, adding that the situation needs to be discussed at parliamentary level since it is already a big topic in social media.
Reminiscing on events during the recent CCM extraordinary national meeting in Dodoma, Bashe asserted that he was “abducted” along with Geita Rural MP Joseph Musukuma and former cabinet minister Adam Malima, both from CCM.
He did not elaborate further on that incident which occurred immediately after a massive purging exercise within the ruling party, but also raised questions over the mysterious disappearance of opposition CHADEMA party stalwart Ben Saanane and last week’s “abduction” of Bongo Flava musician Ibrahim Musa, alias Roma Mkatoliki.
“What is going on currently means that this country is no longer peaceful, since some of the more vocal people are now being targeted by security agents,” the Nzega MP said.
Speaking on the same point, Mbeya Urban MP Joseph Mbilinyi (CHADEMA) asserted that the country is in “total darkness” with kidnappings on the increase.
Mbilinyi told the House that no one, including the deputy speaker, is safe from abduction. “Who knows who is next in line to be kidnapped? It could be me or you, deputy speaker. As for me, I don’t care since the people of Mbeya are on my side,” said the shadow minister for information, sports and culture.
Special Seats MP Devotha Minja (CHADEMA) had earlier claimed that people in a police vehicle on Sunday went visiting to her home with the intention of arresting her.
According to Minja, the alleged police officers left after being informed that she was in Morogoro, but her children were traumatized on seeing armed people at their house demanding to know the whereabouts of their mother.
The special seats legislator told the House that when she called the regional police commander, he confirmed that he had sent his officers to arrest her.
“When shall these kind of arrests end in this country? I am an MP… the regional crimes officer or any other police officer could just phone me and direct me to report to a police station, instead of using such a disorderly approach,” she said.
Minja further noted that in the wake of recent happenings, it is becoming increasingly difficult to trust any police officer claiming to be on a mission to arrest someone.
Efforts by The Guardian to contact the Minister of State in the President's Office responsible for Public Service Management and Good Governance, Angellah Kairuki, for comment on the MPs claims were futile yesterday as her phone first went unanswered and then became unreachable.

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