Angry mourners disrupt Home Affairs minister’ funeral address, calls for his resignation
What you need to know:
- The disturbances occurred while Mr Masauni was addressing the crowd. Attendees, frustrated by the ongoing spate of abductions, called for Masauni's resignation.
Dar es Salaam. The funeral of former Chadema member Ali Kibao in Tanga region was marred by disruptions as attendees demanded the resignation of Minister of Home Affairs Hamad Masauni amid rising concerns over rising abduction incidents.
The disturbances occurred while Mr Masauni was addressing the crowd. Attendees, frustrated by the ongoing spate of abductions, called for Masauni's resignation.
Chadema Chairman Freeman Mbowe intervened, urging the crowd to allow the minister to complete his speech, which he did successfully.
Leaders from opposition parties, including Chadema and ACT Wazalendo, have called for not only Minister Masauni but also Inspector General of Police (IGP) Camillius Wambura to step down due to the alarming increase in abductions and killings. Kibao, a member of the Chadema Secretariat, was reported missing after being abducted on the evening of September 6, 2024, from a Tashrif-operated bus traveling from Dar es Salaam to Tanga.
His body was discovered on September 8, 2024, in the Ununio Tegeta area of Dar es Salaam. It has since been taken to Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital for preservation, identification, and autopsy, with results expected today, September 9, 2024.
At the funeral, the Chairman of Chadema for the Northern Zone, Mr Godbless Lema voiced his frustrations directly. “Minister, I urge you not to attend another funeral of someone who has been abducted; go to the funeral of someone who has been killed. You are causing us pain. I expected that after the President's statement yesterday, you would have resigned by now, and the IGP would have resigned as well, with other leaders stepping aside,” Lema said. He further questioned how he would be treated if arrested by the police.
The Vice Chairman (Mainland) for the opposition ACT Wazalendo, Mr Isihaka Machinjita, echoed Lema’s sentiments. “The event that brought us together here is the death of our brother (Ali Kibao), and such an incident raises concerns about our safety. We have questions about our security, as this brother was killed because the police force failed to protect citizens,” he stated. Machinjita added that he had previously called for the minister’s resignation in light of these incidents.
