DODOMA: PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has directed Regional and District Commissioners and other officials vested with detention powers within their areas of jurisdiction to exercise such authority with professionalism, integrity and honesty and to adhere to the laws and regulations of the country.
Majaliwa said that the law was enacted to ensure safety in their areas of jurisdiction and not to cause unnecessary friction within the community.
The Premier was responding to a question by Stella Fiayo (Special Seats, Chadema) during the direct questions to the Prime Minister’s session.
The MP sought the government’s position on condemning the misuse of detention powers by some Regional and District Commissioners.
She noted that the situation has created animosity between the citizens and their government and it undermines President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts to promote her 4Rs philosophy.
Responding, the PM confirmed that some leaders have been granted detention powers within their jurisdictions to ensure peace, safety and harmony.
He emphasised that the law allowing Regional and District Commissioners to arrest and detain individuals was not intended to create friction in the community, despite some misusing it.
“The aim of this legislation was to ensure that there is no significant disruption of peace in those areas. Therefore, a leader can use this law to arrest and detain someone to restore peace and later allow them to continue with their duties,” Majaliwa said.
He insisted that the legislation intended to protect both the citizens and the leaders themselves if the situation threatens their safety.
ALSO READ: Nkinda re-elected deputy mayor for Moshi
Majaliwa said that the government will continue to educate all the appointees with detention powers to ensure they use the authority properly.
The National Assembly said on Wednesday that if leaders in the country, including Regional and District Commissioners, will abuse the legal provisions granting them detention powers it will consider reviewing and amending the law.
National Assembly Speaker Dr Tulia Ackson said that the purpose of the law granting detention powers is to be applied in situations where there is a threat to the safety of a leader, the person being detained if they are at risk of harm from citizens and the safety of the public and not to demonstrate the power and authority of the leader.
She issued the position when Mlimba MP Godwin Kunambi (CCM) raised an urgent matter demanding that the legislature discuss actions of some RCs and DCs arresting people and detaining them for no reasonable cause, “as the situation puts in peril observance of human rights.”
The Speaker said that legislation would have to be reviewed to remove any confusion and prevent leaders from being feared by citizens, she said, noting that there are instances where people lacking legal authority direct that people be arrested.
She asked the Prime Minister to follow up on the matter and inform the MP about what is happening in the constituency because detaining people for raising issues publicly is inappropriate and not the intended purpose of the law,” she said.
