ZANZIBAR: THE Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN) Limited is among several organisations commended by the Zanzibar Second Vice President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla for supporting a renewed national campaign to end violence against children, women and the elders.
Launching the campaign dubbed ‘Mtoto ni Mboni Yangu’, the VP expressed gratitude to both private and public organisations, including TSN, for joining forces against the vice, which remains a national challenge requiring concerted efforts to overcome.
However, he warned local NGOs being used to destroy the Tanzanian traditions and culture by engaging and teaching children unacceptable or offensive behaviours.
“We should only work and accept to work with international organisations that respect our culture.
“The available data still reveals a bad picture, tarnishing the image of our country. There are still many children, women and elders harassed, harmed and sexually abused. We need collective commitment from grassroots to national level to end all kinds of abuse,” said Mr Abdulla after leading a marathon held in the Stone Town aimed at addressing the challenge.
At the well-attended event organised by the Dar es salaam-based organisation ‘Ndoto Ajira’ in collaboration with the Zanzibar Community Development, Elderly, Gender and Children, the VP said the war against Gender Based Violence (GBV) requires tough decisions, including abandoning the behaviour of hesitating to take action against a perpetrator who happen to be a family member known as ‘Muhali.’
He said such behaviour was frustrating efforts to combat GBV as some perpetrators are protected by family members by refusing to take them to court or shun to provide evidence during the hearing of the cases.
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“I urge all members of the public to stand firm against such evils and start operation in their respective areas, from the villages, wards, districts and regions to identify potential suspects and report them to authorities while also ensuring enough surveillance on unfinished or abandoned buildings so that culprits do not find a place to abuse children,” Mr Abdulla urged.
The second VP said that there was no need to blame local authorities or the government for the increasing moral decay and GBV in the community, rather each individual or group is responsible to take action against all kinds of abuse.
“Both President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi deserve another five years in leadership come the 2025 General Election, because their services to Tanzanians, including war against graft and GBV have been good, with splendid performance in other areas of leadership,” Mr Abdulla stressed.
He said it was astonishing to hear that a 50 or 60-year-old man has abused a six-year-old child.
“These criminals deserve strong condemnation and serious punishment. Let us have endless war against them. It is good that sexual abuse is among non-bailable offences, but we should not misuse it by planting false cases or evidences,” he added.
Ms Riziki Pembe Juma, Minister for Community Development, Elderly, Gender and Children said that it was possible to end GBV in both Mainland and Zanzibar should each adult take the responsibility to promote protection for children, women and elders.
She challenged the lawmakers and the judiciary to find a tougher punishment for rapists as the current 30 years jail sentence seems ineffective.
“Let us think about a tougher punishment, it seems people are not scared with the current sentence,” Ms Riziki said.
Mr Edward Fortunatus Musimo, Director of ‘Ndoto Ajira’ organisation thanked TSN and other sponsors, saying the launched campaign aim to reach all groups and places to tackle domestic and sexual violence so that women, children and elders live peacefully in the country.
