Our very own Akwilina, 21-year-old student from The National Institute of Transport (NIT) in Tanzania, was killed when firing occurred between the opposition party supporters and the Police. A stray bullet pierced her head on her way to home when she was sitting in the van. After thoroughly investigating the case, police stated that the officer responsible for her misery has already been discharged and absolved and thereby closed the case.
The Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander Lazaro, further stated that no investigated was conducted on if the opposition party leaders were also carrying guns in the protest. The office further stated that they have an authorisation of carrying guns, whilst all the top leaders have designated licence of carrying their own guns, but it does not give them the liberty to arrest anyone without proper investigation. Further the officer stated that Akwilina died due to unforeseen circumstances in ‘illegal’ demonstration prearranged by Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo and not by the police offers who were called to take the situation under control.
The officer also took out the public statement to the media, that the whole incident happened due to the gunfire of the opposition party at the crime scene and not by the police officers, which resulted in five members of the parliament and few Chadema leaders were also charged and are being holding an illegal assembly regarding the February fracas. People who are supporting Chadema have been marching to the Executive Director of Kinondoni District with the aim of pressurising him to issue affidavits for the party’s election agents for 17th February parliamentary by election in Kinondoni District.
This incident disturbed Akwilina’s family both mentally and physically, with grief and sorrow surrounding her family all over. on investigating the bus conductor, the family got to know that the bus had been heading from Mabibo to Makumbusho, and apprehensively all the people boarding the bus were heard shouting and screaming, before getting into the matter, the bus conductor had a sharp bullet piercing his right ear and he started bleeding.
Government have been investigating this matter with a higher-level investigation to get her justice and also compensating Akwilina’s family for their abundant loss.
