BY EDITOR
They sweep everything in their path, grabbing money, goods or whatever they can find, bags from passers-by, with people scattering in every direction in like manner as in the wild, all herbivores run for life when seeing wild dog packs. They also call themselves ‘dog children,’ etc.
Reports reaching this newspaper said that the marauders had first collected at Kagera Mikoroshini in Magomeni area, within Kinondoni district and within calling distance of several police stations and police posts. They were there for a harum-scarum burial ceremony of one of their colleagues, who was apparently hit by a city militiaman in controlling this or that incident, or in petty trade round ups, etc.
Witnesses say they grabbed a local Islamic priest and forced him, with their usual machete standard weapon, to conduct a burial sermon for him; the priest obeyed.
It was after that ceremony that, energized and seeking revenge, as well as line up their pockets as much as they could do, went on the warpath, in like manner as we often hear of village cattle raiding, as ‘panya road’ is an urban version of that same culture.
Just as in rural areas far flung police posts and local government offices are unlikely to hear of such a problem until it has taken place, similarly the police heard nothing of what was afoot, until people were being hacked or robbed. Spokesperson of the Police force later yesterday said officers had arrested 30 marauders.
With due regard to the police chief, that is but a drop in the bucket, as they were said to be in their hundreds when attending the burial of that youth.
Even at that moment, when a group of youths wielding machetes had grabbed a local sheikh to conduct a disputable ceremony for a known criminal, and unable to issue words of caution on criminality in that environment, a whiff of it should have reached the police.
No one has as yet affirmed if they were alerted and ignored the call, but it would not be surprising, for they wait for clients - who go and pay for the services.
In that case it must be said that ‘panya road’ have an excellent ally in the sort of procedure that the police force now observes, the ‘community policing’ method, as it removes the burden of investigating, or reacting to an investigation.
The last time the police were told that kids were being grabbed by bad people they said it was rumours, and then they lost face when the body was left on the roadside.
The ‘panya road’ are unlikely to be disturbed before they have done something, whereupon a few of them might fall into police hands, but their march will not stop.
It is hence plausible that methods that are being followed by the police, of reacting to events rather than seeking to know what is going on, are not helpful for crime prevention.
At the same time, it should be clear to all and sundry that something is not working in the society, but since we still have communities that take pride in robbery as heroic grabbing of cattle, urban areas will not be spared such violence.
Police, other authorities should take note that some criminal gangs in East African region such as Mungiki in Kenya might have started just like ‘panya roads’. There is a pressing need to dismantle the group. Given the fact that this is an n election year, someone could see how to use them, isn’t it?
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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