Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Mwigulu Nchemba
MEDDY MULISA in Bukoba | Daily News | The National Newspaper.
THE Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Mwigulu Nchemba, has urged residents in Kagera Region to be vigilant and report aliens to relevant authorities for necessary action.
He has, however, urged them to remain calm, assuring them that borders with a neighbouring country were safe and there was no reason for tension.
Minister Nchemba made the remarks on Thursday after he received a report presented to him by Kyerwa District Commissioner (DC), Col Shaban Lissu.
In the report, Mr Lissu informed the Minister that nine Tanzanians were killed in mysterious circumstances by unknown people while fishing in Lake Goma and River Kagera along the Tanzania-Rwanda border. According to Mr Lissu, the killings happened between April-July, this year.
He did not, however, reveal the names of the missing persons. Following the report, Minister Mwigulu made a spot-visit to Kitwechenkura fish landing site where he addressed a public meeting. He directed authorities in Kyerwa District to form a probe team to establish circumstances leading to the killings.
Minister Nchemba was in Kagera Region for a three-days tour where he inspected border posts in Ngara, Karagwe and Kyerwa districts. During his recent tour, Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, challenged leaders in Kagera Region to be vigilant and not allow foreigners to own land without following laid down procedures.
Mr Majaliwa noted that some leaders including immigration officials, were colluding by allowing aliens to enter the country and were given large portions of land to the detriment of most Tanzanians. “This trend should be addressed collectively. If we are not careful Tanzania will be invaded and occupied by foreigners.
To date, we have a population of 45 million. The government cannot afford a big number of aliens,” he said. He noted that some of the leaders assisted foreigners to steal the nation’s natural resources including minerals.
He wondered why the leaders failed to take necessary action. He noted that notorious areas included Misenyi, Kyerwa, Ngara and Biharamulo districts.
He appealed to residents in the region to take necessary precaution and guard the borders taking into consideration that its borders four East African Community (ECA) member countries namely Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya. “Residents in the Kagera Region have a duty to ensure that the borders are intact.
You must ensure that no foreigners are allowed to enter the country as this poses a security risk. There are reports that some foreigners especially in Kyerwa and Misenyi districts have been allowed to own large portions of land, resulting in conflicts and fighting between investors and ‘wananchi’,” he said.
Premier Majaliwa said Tanzania was second to Ethiopia with about 1.5 million head of cattle, but did not benefit from the sector simply because the sector had not improved. He said it was the government’s intention to ensure that Tanzanians benefited from the livestock sector.
He said Kagera Region had four ranches which were formerly owned by the National Ranching Company (NARCO), but did not profit much from the sector because the leaders had allowed foreigners to have the lion’s share instead of ‘wananchi’.
Mr Majaliwa urged Tanzanians to take steps and profit from the agricultural sector by processing its agricultural products including coffee. “Two years ago, I visited Malaysia and I was shocked to find Kilimanjaro coffee which was branded and packed in Kenya.
We have to benefit from our products,” he insisted. He also directed district commissioners to ensure that all children of school-going age attended school. He said one of the challenges facing the education sector was the big number of children after the fifth phase government under Dr John Magufuli introduced free education.
He directed district councils to ensure they collected maximum revenue from internal sources and ensured that the funds were well spent. He assured residents in the region that a promise made by Dr Magufuli during his 2015 election campaigns of buying a new ship for Lake Victoria was in progress and very soon residents in the Lake Zone regions of Mwanza, Kagera, Mara, Geita and Shinyanga would enjoy easy transport in the lake.
Minister Nchemba also said plans were underway to build a modern oil pipeline linking Tanga-Kilimanjaro- Arusha-Simiyu-Geita-Kagera to Uganda. Completion of the project would make oil easily available, he said.
