Four die in Masasi riots, as CHADEMA cautions JK

Four people were killed yesterday in the chaos that erupted in Masasi district, Mtwara region pitting ‘bodaboda’ drivers and police.

Commissioner of Police Paul Chagonja, the head of Operations and Training of the Police Force, confirmed the incident but could not give details.

According to the commissioner, twelve people were injured including a police officer. Earlier on it was reported that one police officer was killed during the violence.

Reports issued by the Ndanda regional hospital’s chief medical officer Dr Crispin Sapuli said the injured are Hosea Kibona (a policeman), Mohamed Abilai, Amami Ali, Athumani Maelezo, Zaruki Mussa, Mohamed Mshamu, Nassoro Mohamed, Yona Mareme and Feti William.

Others are William Matiponi, Jerome Frank and Maisha Hussein who sustained a bullet injury in the neck.

However, the chief medical officer said they received four injured people and the body of one dead person.

Commissioner Chagonja said the chaos erupted when rioting groups of young people clashed with law enforcers.

Yesterday’s violence is a continuation of chaos that has engulfed a number of locations in Mtwara and Lindi regions with continuing protests against government plans for a gas pipeline to process Mnazi Bay gas at Kinyerezi planned plant in Dar es Salaam.

In the violence yesterday at Masasi town, eleven vehicles and other property belonging to the Masasi District Council were set on fire.

Reports stated that the motorcyclists clashed with police after they had gathered in one of the streets protesting against the arrest of a fellow ‘bodaboda’ driver.

During the violence the rioting groups invaded a court building before setting it ablaze after they had done the same for the record files.

As if that was not enough the mainly youthful group went on to burn down the residential premise of Masasi Urban legislator, Mariam Kassembe (CCM) and the district education office.

The central committee directed the secretariat to monitor commitments made in the 2010 polls and push for their being implemented, citing the need for pursuing work on a key issue that touches the public, the process of constitutional reform.

The session similarly reflected on the work carried out by the official opposition camp in Parliament, mainly constituted by Chadema MPs.

Details will be provided on deliberations of the session as the secretariat reports on the meeting to the party’s executive council which will be held in the coming week. The session is also expected to review political action on strategies and steps taken to end the problem of gas resource use in the country, he added.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY