PM Mizengo Pinda
In Summary
Dar es Salaam. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda’s
statement in Parliament on Thursday that State organs should thoroughly
beat up people instigating chaos to curb escalating disorder in the
country has been greeted with anger, with some observers calling it a
declaration of war.
“It is unfortunate. It is a statement not expected
from a PM. That is similar to the declaration of war,” said Prof
Gaudence Mpangala, a senior political science and public administration
lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam.
Responding to a question from Murtaza Mangungu
(Kilwa North MP– CCM), who had wanted to know what measures the
government was taking to curb escalating violence, the PM said that
State organs should not hesitate to beat up people instigating chaos.
“We are fed up with what is happening in the
country…we had earlier warned that there would be people who will suffer
when the government is forced to use force to maintain peace and order.
This is what is happening now, especially in Mtwara,” said Mr Pinda.
According to Prof Mpangala, the statement “is against the Constitution, and principles of rule of law and good governance.”
On his Facebook page, opposition Chadema’s
secretary general Willibrod Slaa wondered what section of the law the PM
used to justify his statement. “Let them beat us up. Should we not
complain when the government is taking the country into a hole?” he
asked.
s that the statement he made in Parliament would
warrant police officers to harass people is baseless. They are entitled
to use reasonable force... It is high time the opposition considers
discussing issues rather than rioting,” he said.
Another government official who opted not to be
named said that the Article 13 (5) (6) and Article 8 of the Constitution
provided good answers to Pinda’s words.
The articles stresses on equality of all persons
before the law and their entitlement to that right without any
discrimination, to protection and equality. It further states that civic
rights, duties and interests of every person and community should be
protected and determined by courts or other state agencies established
by or under the law.
