| Traders swap maize for guns, minister told | Send to a friend |
| Tuesday, 04 October 2011 21:45 |
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The Citizen Correspondent Tarime. The government in Tarime District, Mara Region, has warned traders who import firearms from neighbouring countries after they exchange them with maize they smuggle out. Briefing the deputy minister for Industry, Trade and Marketing, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu, the Tarime District commissioner, Mr John Henjewele, said district authorities have established that some traders exchange maize they smuggle out with the firearms from Somalia. “This puts the district, the region and the country in danger due to the influx of small arms,” he said. He noted that because of hunger in Somalia, maize and other food stuffs are in high demand. “And because firearms are in plenty there, the commodity used to exchange for food are firearms,” he elaborated. He said because of the illegal exchange, there was a possibility that the number of people who own gun illegally in the district was very high.He said information obtained show that AK 47, rifles, pistols and others were involved in the deals. He said some traders sell the guns when they return home. Mr Henjewele said the District Peace and Security Committee has asked people who own guns illegally to surrender them to police stations or to their local leaders and they would not be prosecuted. However, he was not specific on the timeframe for the amnesty.The deputy minister ordered the police to investigate and get to the bottom of the scandal. He said the illegal trade was endangering the national security. “This is not a light issue. Police should act thoroughly and intelligently. We need to know these traders and confiscate all the weapons they had brought in from Somalia,” he said. Mr Nyalandu said if stern measures will not be taken against the culprits to end the problem, there was a possibility of the illegal firearms spreading within Tarime and beyond. “When we reach a stage where every person will own firearms illegally, we are going to turn the country into a lawless community which should not be allowed to happen,” insisted Mr Nyalandu. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
