The situation was very tense at Kariakoo central business district at the heart of Dar es Salaam city as it is unsual to see the presence of TPDF soldiers in religious skimishes, and actually their presence caused a great tension to the people ariound as this photo above depict.
THE Dar es Salaam police force yesterday managed to suppress an illegal demonstration planned by Islamic followers which was intended to take place just immediately after the afternoon prayers in the city of Dar es Salaam. The aim of the demonstration was to pressurize the government for the release of the Secretary General of the council of Muslim’s organizations Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda together with other 49 Muslims who were arraigned on Thursday this week pending a case in court at Kisutu Magistrate Court in Dar es Salaam. Sheikh Ponda, appeared in court after he was arrested on Tuesday on allegations of having led his followers to invade private property belonging to Agritanza Company Limited, situated at Chang’ombe Marcus in Dar es Salaam. Ponda and his followers alleged that the Muslim Council of Tanzania, Bakwata, sold the property to the company illegally. Before the court presided over by resident magistrate Stuwart Sanga, the accused were charged with different five counts including committing conspiracy, trespass, stealing property worth Sh. 59million and criminal possession of property owned by Agritanza Ltd at Chang’ombe in Temeke municipality. Among the accused was Zaidah Yusuph, an old woman aged 100 years. All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges but before the Magistrate could set the bail conditions, the principal state attorney informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions under Section 148 (4), the accused conspired to commit an offence contrary to section 386 of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA). He had placed a certificate of urgency before the court to bar bail for the first accused (Ponda). During the fracas with the rowdy Muslims who defied the police orders that required them to stop the rampage, the anti-riot police used tear gas in a bid to disperse them at Kariakoo main central business district whereby their confrontation with the police resulted into several people who were left injured and scores of others most of whom youths were taken to police central station for interrogation. A spot check at the scene can reveal that, the Kariakoo area turned like a warzone as the Municipal militia men joined forces with the riot police in help to get rid of the culprits and were taken into a police car then drove off to central police station. The intention of Muslims to demonstrate was not only planned to take place at Kariakoo area alone, but also in some other parts of the city as noticed by this reporter. Things were not normal at along Kawawa main road that joins the three biggest suburbs of Kinondoni, Magomeni, Kigogo, and Msimbazi centre suburbs on the outskirts of the city. Muslim followers at Kinondoni and Magomeni who also experienced the same mishaps as police managed to put down plans by rowdy Muslims from Mtambani mosque at Kinondoni and that one at Magomeni when confronted by riot-police officers and were dispersed after the police used tear gas to curb a mob justice in protest. At Kariakoo area later in the evening at around 16.00 hours and found the area was calm and cool, only few businessmen commonly known as the ‘Machinga’ could be seen around with their merchandise, but the majority shops remained closed up to the time this reporter departed from the place. Witnesses told this writer in an exclusive interview that, most shoppers reacted quickly in response to early warnings when the rowdy Muslims started to sing the Islamic slogan ‘Taqbir’ and upon hearing that, they all closed their shops for fear of what could be seen to be an impending danger or damage for any loss which could have overcome them.
A convoy of TPDF soldiers in a military truck patrolling the main areas to ensure peace at Kariakoo business district in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
Reliable sources from the scene said that, they saw a convoy of soldiers belonging to Tanzania people’s Defense Forces (TPDF) on move as though patrolling the area, however their presence reflected a move of seriousness of the matter, a factor that caused high tension as it’s unusual to see TPDF soldiers in rowdy movements as such. Jacob Urio, a shoe shiner at Kariakoo area confirmed that, the presence of TPDF soldiers caused fear and tension to many people around as almost every one of them was armed with a machine gun, but could not trace where they had vanished. However, rumours around speculated that, they were taken from Kawe based military camp for help and placed somewhere on standby incase the police could fail to suppress the movements of the rowdy Muslims fundamentalists, then they could take cover to minimize the chaos probably by using live bullets with the guns they had carried. The yesterday’s situation had brought tension to most Dar es Salaam residents from various corners in the city of Dar es Salaam as the situation was very tense and everybody especially those who were not aware of the matter came up in abrupt uneasy mood when they saw a police helicopter hovering the skies of the main Das res Salaam city centre. However, it was immediately made clear by one of the police officers who spoke on condition of anonymity that, the presence of the police helicopter was syndicated to ensure easy safety, a means that could make an easy apprehension of the suspected culprits on movements. However, up to the time we go to press, efforts to reach the Special Police Zone Commander for Dar es Salaam region, SCP, Sulleman Kova for comments about the franca proved futile. But her secretary who was contacted said that since her boss left the office at 0830 in the morning was not yet back in the office, probably had much to content with in the field.
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