|
IGP Mwema: It’s the thumbs up for Kikwete
2006-03-03 09:48:17
By Joyce Mkinga and Mwinyi Sadallah
Dar es Salaam residents have hailed President Jakaya Kikwete for appointing Said Mwema new Inspector General of Police.
A cross-section of people interviewed yesterday said Mwema is the right person to fight escalating crime in the city.
They said Mwema is learned and sober and that he has enough experience in fighting international crime.
’He worked at the crime desk for sometime. Hopefully he will bring this experience and his expertise to his new job,’ said Thomas Ngawaiya, a former opposition MP.
Ngawaiya said sensitive posts like that of the IGP and DCI should not be held by one officer for too long as it made them complacent.
NCCR-Mageuzi chairman James Mbatia said he had no problem with the appointment of Mwema because he is a clean man.
Mbatia said the problem was the system. He called on the police to change its system of operation for the new appointments to bear fruit.
’With the current system, even if we appointed an angel, the problem would still remain,’ he said, adding, ’What is being done now is a cure, but the source of the problem in the police force has not been diagnosed.’
Samson Mwakalobo, a Dar es Salaam resident, said Mwema’s appointment had come at the right time as people had already started losing faith in the force because of their involvement in violent crime.
’This is a big challenge to Mwema. He should work tirelessly to restore the force’s credibility. People are pinning their hopes on him,’ he said.
A student at the University of Dar es Salaam, Denis Nyakisinda, commended the president for elevating Dar es Salaam to an administrative zone and also elevating the three districts to regions that will be headed by regional police commanders.
He said the move would help in the fight against crime.
Joseph Kawamara, a Mwananyamala resident, said that Mwema, having worked with the Interpol has enormous experience in fighting crime.
In Zanzibar, Opposition parties commended President Kikwete for making the changes in the force.
NCCR-Mageuzi, CUF, TADEA and UPDP leaders on Isles said the changes would improve efficiency in the force.
NCCR-Mageuzi vice-chairman, Hajji Ambar Khamis said past top brass in the force had failed to combat crime, especially armed robbery.
CUF deputy information director Salum Bimani said past leaders in the force were more of politicians than professional policemen.
’They were used to advance the interests of politicians. In fact they were there to muzzle democracy and opposition parties,’ Bimani said.
The Tadea planning secretary said the changes showed that Kikwete was ready to serve the people.
He called on the President to also make changes in the force on the Isles.
President Kikwete on Wednesday appointed Mwema new Inspector General of Police to replace Omar Mahita who has retired.
Mwema is a lawyer from the University of Dar es Salaam, and until his appointment he was Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Interpol Sub-Regional Bureau, in Nairobi, Kenya.
The President also appointed Sungura Manumba new Director of Criminal Investigations, to replace Rajab Adadi who will be assigned other duties.
|
