It is just a matter of time before some acid attackers claim their next victim, if the current trend is anything to go by, what with the police forces’ apparent incapacity to put in check or arrest the villains.
This is the view of a cross-section of Tanzanians who have been nervously taking note of the trend as one innocent victim after another gets splashed with the corrosive liquid and culprits vanishing to safety.
A lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Mr Bashiru Ally, said yesterday that the police force is overwhelmed and can no longer prevent the attacks. Everyone must be on alert, Mr Ally cautioned yesterday.
“I think it has to do with the nature of attacks. And it could be practically impossible for the police to contain all the acid attacks,” Mr Ally said.
However, something is lacking with the capacity of the police to investigate such cases, Mr Ally observed, calling for a boost of that capacity and much engagement with the public for disclosure of information that could lead to arrests.
This year alone, at least six acid attacks on religious leaders, businessmen and foreigners have been reported, with the last victim being a Catholic priest, Fr Anselm Mwang’amba, who was badly injured on Friday in Zanzibar.
A week ago, a Dar es Salaam trader was attacked with acid by unknown people. And last month, two British nationals got badly burned with acid thrown at them in Zanzibar as they took a walk on the historical Stone Town streets.
Come July and prominent businessman tasted same cruelty when he was likewise assaulted in Dar es Salaam.
In the list of acid victims are also three Muslim clerics including Sheikh Fadhil Suleiman Soraga who was badly injured last year after a yet to be known attacker threw acid on his face in November last year.
The government seems to have run out of options on how to contain the cowardly attacks, commentators say, as the action taken in the wake of the assault on British girls, Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, both aged 18, seem to have failed to stop acid thuggery.
Immediately after the attack on the teenagers, the government took measures to control the importation and sale of acid, requiring that a list of people importing and buying acid at both retail and wholesale points be kept and sent to the police.
The government also banned selling acid to motorists, requiring that mechanics handle the filling of acid on car batteries.
For her part, executive director of the Tanzania Media Women Association (Tamwa), Ms Valerie Msoka, said the public is now under state of dilemma because police have remained silent on previous incidents, and in the meantime the attacks continue.
She said the police were supposed to give updates to the public on investigations on past incidents.
The chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Social Justice William Mwamalanga and the CCM youth wing called for reform of the Isles’ Police Force Rev Mwamalanga, a pastor with the Pentecostal Church, said such incidents must not be allowed to continue.
“The commissioner of Zanzibar Police should also take political responsibility and resign to pave the way for those who can do the job,” Pastor Mwamalanga said yesterday as he paid a visit to Fr Mwang’amba.
UVCCM deputy secretary general in Zanzibar Hamdu Shaka said in a statement yesterday that failure to arrive on time at scenes of crime gave an opportunity to attackers to destroy evidence and escape.
But Commissioner of Police Zanzibar Musa Ali Musa said he cannot react to calls by clerics and politicians that he resigns who are just expressing their opinion.
“I know what I’ve accomplished so far. Should we also say, for example, that both Muslim and Christian clerics have failed in their mission simply because we still have drunkards and prostitutes on the streets?” Mr Musa queried.
