‘Do not detain bodaboda at police stations for long’, home affairs minister warns

The Minister for Home Affairs Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba has warned against the habit commonly being practiced by few police officers who detains motor bikes commonly known as ‘Bodaboda’ for longer at a police station once have apprehended their owners on various traffic regulations. Dr. Nchemba has issued a directive and noted that the suspected motor bike riders have to be fined immediately once apprehended and taken to the police station and thereby released and never should they be detained for unknown reasons. The Minister clarified the issue when he was responding a question last week in parliament which was earlier raised by a special seat Sikuzani Yassin Chilambo (CCM) who wanted to know plans by the police to deploy police vans in Ruvuma region which faces shortage of police cars in various police stations. In responding to this question Dr. Nchemba said that once the budget  will allow then his ministry will buy and distribute police vehicles to areas in need for security reasons. 

 

Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba

A supplementary question was raised by Mbeya urban legislator Joseph Mbilinyi alias ‘Sugu’ who testified before the house that prisons department is severely hit with the shortage of vehicles. Sugu who recently was in jail serving a five month jail term witnessed a number of remand prisoners and other inmates being taken to various courts in Mbeya city while in hand cuffed. The Home affairs minister noted that, this issue is known all over the country and that, the government is taking necessary steps in order to remedy the situation. However, the minister also noted that, the government is taking steps to make repairs on the damaged vehicles to help for the time being. Another supplementary question was raised by the special seat Ritta Kabati (CCM) who wanted to know plans by the government to buy as many vehicles as it could in order to help the police officers carry smooth operations while in patrols. The minister said that, in every budget set, the government will be giving priority in areas whereby y the situation is worse.