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| ZnZ rioters took streets yesterday against Union |
Police are hunting for suspects in connection with Saturday night's
clashes in the municipality of Zanzibar, that left property destroyed including
two churches that were set on fire.
Police confirmed yesterday that Uamsho
faith group was to blame for the criminal acts.
A group of youths believed to be followers of an Islamic propagation
group in Zanzibar -- Uamsho --currently campaigning against the Union, had
attempted to hold a rally at the Mwembe-Madema Police station as a gesture of
protest against the arrest of one of their leaders.
Eyewitnesses said that Uamsho fans' attempt to occupy the police
station and refusal to obey orders to vacate the place was met with police tear
gas, and bullets in the air. "Tear gas and live bullets were fired into
air the whole night on Saturday and yesterday morning," said Amina Hassan,
a resident in the trouble spot.
She and other people at Michenzani, Dajarani, and Kariakoo streets
complained that they had a sleepless night and that their businesses paralyzed
yesterday with the streets littered with stones, and burning tires.
"We have managed to control the situation. We are now busy hunting
for the suspects who caused all this havoc.
We have already arrested seven people. All of them are members of Uamsho
group. It is this group that is responsible for the problem," the
Commissioner of Police (CP) in Zanzibar, Mr Mussa Ali Mussa, said at a press
conference on Sunday.
However, he declined to mention the names of the suspects that are in
custody. He added: "We will spare no efforts in hunting for all suspects
including the leaders of Uamsho so that we take them to court.
"Members of this group have been using abusive language against
leaders, destroying property and are to blame for the destruction of two
churches." CP Mussa named the destroyed Churches as Tanzania Assemblies of
God at Kariakoo and Kibweni Church.
He said that the crime is punishable.
"I appeal to anyone with information that would help the police to
arrest the suspects to help us."
Although there are reports that some people got injured, the CP said
there was no reported case of injury.
Bishop Dickson Kaganga of Tanzania Assemblies of God told reporters at
the ill-fated Church that a group of youths armed with stones and sticks
forcefully entered the church at around 10.30pm on Saturday.
"They set fire on some
plastic chairs, a car, music instruments and other items. They also pulled down
the fence," he said.
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| Touched TAG Church in ZnZ |
"Fortunately the guards at
the church escaped unhurt. No one got injured but property worth more than
100m/- was destroyed," Bishop
Kaganga said.
However, in a press statement released later, Uamsho refuted claims
that it was responsible for the destruction of the two churches. "Islam is
a religion of peace and never shall we send our people to destroy
churches," the group said.
"Let the police hunt for the culprits and take them to
court," said the group's statement signed by Uamsho secretary Abdallah
Saidi.
Uamsho has been conducting a series of public rallies on both Unguja
and Pemba islands with the aim of inciting Zanzibaris to demand a referendum,
an opportunity that would bring about "full independence for
Zanzibar."
Leaders of Uamsho led by Sheikh Farid Hadi have openly vowed to fight
for Zanzibar's sovereignty, arguing that "economic difficulties and moral
decay in the islands are partly caused by the present structure of the
Union."
Source: The Daily News,www.dailynews.co
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