Tanzania govt hints on Azory disappearance

Dar es Salaam. Home Affairs minister Mwigulu Nchemba reiterated that he will hold talks with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro to discuss various national security matters.

He further revealed that, one of the issues the two leaders will discuss will be the disappearance of a Mwananchi Communications Limited journalist, Mr Azory Gwanda.

“I will be in a good position to give details after I receive briefing from investigation teams that have been tasked to probe the matter. As far as I am concerned, I can affirm that police are going on with intensive investigations,” he said.

Dr Nchemba made the remarks when he spoke to The Citizen on Thursday, January 25, shortly after he addressed a press conference at Immigration Department headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

Mr Gwanda has gone missing for 66 days now. He was reported missing after he was taken by unidentified people while he was at his home in Kibiti, in Coastal Region, prompting anxiety to his family, friends and relatives.

Amongst other, Dr Nchemba on Thursday directed the Immigration Department to stop issuing passports to groups of people intending to travel outside the country in search of jobs.  He said the directive took immediate effect and should remain in force until further notice.

Dr Nchemba said the decision was taken following complaints that some Tanzanians travel outside the country in search of jobs that only cause them a life of misery.

“We will start issuing passports again only after we are satisfied that Tanzanians who go abroad to look for jobs are in safe hands and won’t be mistreated," he said.

Adding “We are currently working to establish a proper system that will enable the government to effectively communicate with our embassies in countries where Tanzanians travel to in search for jobs with a view to ensuring that their basic rights are safeguarded."

Meanwhile, the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) recently asked the government to intensify the search for the journalist.

UTPC executive director Abubakar Karsan made the request on Wednesday, January 24, during an interview with Kigoma Urban Member of Parliament Zitto Kabwe.

“There is an emerging trend of people being made to disappear. Now, it is journalists being targeted. Azory becomes the first victim. We don’t know who is next,” observed Mr Karsan.