Dr Magufuli expressed pains over the criminal acts, which disrupt the country’s peace and scaring away existing and potential investors in the district, vowing that the government will use all its security machineries to ensure the perpetrators are booked and brought to justice.
“They (criminals) will not be left to continue with these disruptive actions… I want to assure you that they won’t penetrate… and I repeat, they won’t penetrate,’’ insisted the Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, declaring that security agencies will take the sternest measures against crimes in the country.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the construction of the tile factory at Goodwill Tanzania Ceramic Company Limited, on his way to Lindi and Mtwara regions by road, Dr Magufuli insisted that nobody will be spared in the crackdown on illegal activities.
The Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Lu Youguing, also attended the foundation stone laying at the Chinese Investors owned firm, with total investment of over 50 million US dollars (over 100bn/-). President Magufuli who began his working tour of Coast, Lindi and Mtwara regions fumed, “You know the criminals because you live with them… they may be your husbands, wives, brothers, sisters or children, but you should volunteer information leading to their arrest.”
Mkuranga district has in recent months been on the headlines following a series of criminal actions, with the perpetrators targeting police officers and civil leaders. Recently, at Vikindu area, some 20 kilometres off the country’s commercial city, Dar es Salaam, residents spent sleepless nights following exchanges of fire between detectives and heavily armed bandits who were hiding in a house.
The atrocious incident left a high-ranking police officer and several suspected bandits dead. However, the incident sent a message that civilians were not the target as nobody was harmed.
The gun battle, which raged for about six hours, involved heavily trained mobsters who were all out to take revenge.
President Magufuli said here yesterday that although Coast Region boasts of a good number of major factories in the country, investors were likely to shun the place unless there is guaranteed peace and security.
“The region has 83 large industries and over 200 small and medium industries, that is why I say you should be ambassadors of industrial based economy that the country is propagating,’’ said Dr Magufuli.
He invited more foreign and local investors to invest in the country, insisting that Tanzania was a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) with a population of 400 million people and the East African Cooperation (EAC) with over 160 million population.
“With almost 600 million people, investors will have access to huge markets for their goods,’’ he noted.
In his remarks, Coast Regional Commissioner, Engineer Evarist Ndikilo said the region will not tolerate any crime, saying whoever is nabbed will face the wrath of the law. “Already we have identified a gang of these criminals and soon they will face the music,’’ he insisted.
In another development, Dr Magufuli asked Tanzanians to work hard and use the current rains to produce food, insisting that the government will not provide relief food to lazy people, crying of hunger.
“Some politicians have been lying that nobody shall die of hunger, promising to provide relief food, these are liars… in my leadership, frankly speaking, I will not provide food to lazy people. Let me assure you that if you don’t work, you will surely die of hunger,’’ he insisted.
©Alleastafrica and Daily News
