Maalim Seif Condemns
Police Brutality
CIVIC United Front (CUF) Secretary General Mr Seif Sharif Hamad
23 SEPTEMBER 2012
Zanzibar — CIVIC United Front (CUF) Secretary General Mr Seif Sharif Hamad has condemned the use of excessive force by armed security forces against his party supporters during last week's Bububu by-election.
Speaking at a meeting to console victims of Bububu elections violence at the CUF headquarters, Mtendeni area in Zanzibar. Maalim Seif said that the police should have not deployed security personnel in the streets who ended up beating people."It is disappointing to learn that the security forces acted indiscriminately, targeting only CUF members including Mtoni legislator under CUF ticket, Mr Faki Haji Makame," Hamada said. Makame said that he had already filed a petition to the IGP to complain over police behaviour.
Hamad accused some leaders in the Government of National Unity (GNU) and Chama Cha Mapiduzi (CCM) for causing the unrest during the September 16, 2012 by election in which CCM's candidate won."Youths holding guns and hiding their faces were in the forefront in beating people, while the police failed to arrest and charge them.
The unrest could have been avoided had the police taken the necessary precautions to control the crowds and illegal voters," Hamad said in a rare statement since the formation of GNU in 2010.During the unrest, armed people, purportedly security forces from Zanzibar special units (Vikosi) and TPDF, are alleged to have used live bullets shooting one young man in his leg. The man is recovering at Al-rahma hospital.
Hamad said he was concerned over the use of excessive force as a way of handling unruly crowds and described it as "unreasonable and unacceptable". "The Bububu unprofessional tactics' dented the image of the police as well as the GNU smooth record," he said.Commenting on Bububu election, the Commissioner of Police in Zanzibar Mr Mussa Ali distanced the police from using force and being brutal, but said eight people including MP for Mtoni were arrested and charged before they were released on bail.
CCM's deputy Secretary General-Zanzibar Mr Vuai Ali also dismissed as baseless the accusation from CUF that youths from his party were to blame for the unrest, "in fact it is the contrary. CUF youths tried to block others from going to vote."
Source: Daily News
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