By Adonis Byemelwa
Dar es Salaam: In a strong response to a recent
horrific assault in Dar es Salaam, Dr. Stergomena Tax, the Minister of Defence
and National Service, has pledged that the government will not tolerate any
breach of the law. Individuals found guilty of such acts will face appropriate
legal consequences.
Dr. Tax's remarks come in the wake
of a distressing incident involving the gang rape and assault of a young woman
from Yombo Dovya, Dar es Salaam. The attack, which occurred on August 4, 2024,
involved a group of five young men. Disturbing footage of the attack, which
surfaced on social media, shows the perpetrators sexually assaulting the victim
while accusing her of having relations with a married man. The video also
features the attackers demanding an apology from the victim, who is referred to
by the title "Afande."
In a statement on August 6, 2024,
Dr. Tax reiterated the government's stance on upholding the law. When asked if
military personnel were involved, Dr. Tax clarified that the Tanzania Police
Force is responsible for the investigation and that it is up to them to
identify the perpetrators and determine their affiliations.
The Minister emphasized that any
inquiries about the investigation should be directed to the police, who are
handling the case. “If you mention my soldier, I’ll say you’ve named someone,
but I cannot confirm because the investigation is being conducted by another
entity,” Dr. Tax noted.
This response follows a statement
from the Minister of Home Affairs, Hamad Masauni, who confirmed that arrests
had been made in connection with the incident but did not disclose further
details about the suspects or the next steps.
On the same day, David Misime, the
Police Spokesperson, condemned the assault and urged the public to stop
circulating the video. He emphasized that sharing such material is illegal and
further humiliates the victim. Misime also called for anyone with information
about the perpetrators to come forward, either by contacting the police
directly or through a trusted leader.
Various organizations, including
the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS),
have denounced the attack and are calling for decisive government action to
address the crime and prevent similar incidents in the future.