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The debate came at the backdrop of the recent warning by the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRGG) that police should adhere to the laws and principles relating to human rights and good governance in the course of executing their duties.
While opposition members of the house argued that the police acts like the armed wing of the ruling party, meant to brutalise them, their counterparts took issues with delay of cases in the court of law.
Debating the 2015/16 budget estimates for the ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs the lawmakers highlighted other issues ranging from corruption in courts, low remunerations for court officials and insignificant budget allocation to the ministry’s departments.It all started with the opposition camp statement which claimed in their report that in most cases, lawful opposition political parties’ rallies have been interrupted by the police resulting in the injuring of the people.
Reading the opposition statement, shadow minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Tundu Lissu cited the CHRGG report which indicated that police used a lot of force on the Civic United Front (CUF) leaders on January 25, this year.
He also linked an incident where police officers reportedly killed one person, injuring others after they were found drinking alcohol after the specified time (10pm) in Njombe Region this week to violation of human rights and high handedness.
“The trend shows that the system of democratisation and respect to human rights is increasing getting eroded and this can lead the nation to utter chaos in the coming polls,” he said.
“Failure by the government agencies to reveal people behind the series of killings of people – journalist David Mwangosi, who was killed in Iringa, Bishop Evarist Mushi who was shot dead in Zanzibar and those bombed in Arusha are clear signs that they were government operatives,” he said.
The opposition leader also maintained that the government must be aware of those who kidnapped another journalist, Absalom Kibanda and those behind the abduction and torture of Dr Ulimboka.
“How do you feel when the police get widely mentioned in various killing incidents of civilians and the authoritative warnings by CHRGG in its report?” he asked Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Dr Asha Rose Migiro, who he referred to as his teacher.
Felix Mkosamali (Mhambwe, NCCR-Mageuzi) likened the use of police by the ruling party to the way the colonial government ruled over Africans who fought for independence.
“If the government continues this way, so many Tanzanians will suffer in the coming polls,” he told the House.
Speaking on the same note, Joseph Salasini (Rombo MP, Chadema) blamed the ministry for asserting that justice is prevailing in the country at a time when the police and other government agencies were killing civilians in cold blood.
“This is a serious insult to Tanzanians whose relatives have died in the hands of the police, it is shameful that the government has never taken any bold steps to clear its name on this,” he said.
On the other hand, he said, lack of a full budget for the judiciary was a fringe of people’s rights for the judges are forced to work in very difficult environment, thus jeopardise their duty.
Salasini noted that there are cases that take over five years in court only to be dismissed at a time when the accused have suffered both physically and psychologically.
On her part, Asumpta Mshama, (Nkenge, CCM) noted that corruption cases among judges and magistrates were also a big setback to provision of human rights in the country.
“Corruption in courts is a bad sign to the rule of law, respect to democracy and violation of human rights,” she said, adding that the government ought to come up with stringent measures to those engaging in the vice.
Her Tarime counterpart, Nyambari Nyangwine (CCM) argued that corruption in primary and districts courts limits dispensation of law by the relevant magistrates.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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