Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa launches anti-drug outfit
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa yesterday launched the National Drug
Control Council, which is set to prohibit the trafficking, possession
and uses of narcotic drugs in the country.
Under the Drug Control and Enforcement
Act 2015, the premier is entitled to chairing the council. Also eleven
cabinet ministers are part of the anti-drug authority and are required
to serve the body under the prime minister.
The Act identifies the Ministers for
Works, Home Affairs, Education, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Health,
Agriculture, Justice, Community Development, Defence and Information
dockets as members of the newly formed anti-narcotics council. In their
first gathering, Mr Majaliwa said the meeting aimed at giving guidance
to each and every member of the team so that they can be able to execute
their responsibilities and participate fully in the war against
narcotic drugs.
“In this session we will also get the
opportunity to understand the structure of Drug Control Enforcement
Authority (DCEA), to review and discuss the work plan for the
implementation of the control of drugs in order to have a common
understanding,” he noted.
The premier further said that since the
Drug Control and Enforcement Act of 2015 allows him to invite other
delegates in the meeting, he decided to invite some ministers from
Zanzibar, Regional Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and heads of
defence and security forces to share ideas that could help in the fight
against the illegal business.
According to Mr Majaliwa, the council
should meet only twice a year or more when an emergency arises. The
premier ordered the country’s security forces to step up the fight
against narcotics and urged Tanzanians to support the government.
With Tanzania being mentioned as among
the transit hubs of illicit substances in the region, the prime minister
noted that drug use was also high in the country. He said that growing
of khat and marijuana was still a big problem in some regions in the
country. “From January 2015 to December 2016 more than 77 kilogrammes of
heroin were impounded and at least 703 cases were filed. Also in the
same period, at least 32.3 kilogrammes of cocaine, which led to 259
cases, were seized,” he added.
Mr Majaliwa further said that 78,656
kilos of marijuana were seized and 14,323 cases were filed and 71
hectares of marijuana plantations were burnt in the same period. The
premier added that in the same period a total of 31,463 kg of khat were
seized. He said that there were more than 1,000 Tanzanians currently
languishing in jails in various countries for drug trafficking.
Mr Majaliwa said that a total of 265
Tanzanians are jailed in China alone for drug trafficking and 68 of them
already face the death penalty. Expounding further, he said members of
the council have a responsibility to oversee and provide guidance to
DCEA for them to do their job properly.
“We need to cooperate and work together
to win this war. This is our battle and we must work together in order
to win it,” he said. Premier Majaliwa also said regional commissioners
have a big role to play in fighting the illicit drugs.
He said as chairpersons of the defence
and security committees, the RCs are in good position to fight the war
in accordance with the stipulated laws, rules and regulations. Few
regional commissioners attended the meeting.
They included those from the country’s
major cities such as Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, Tanga and Mbeya.
Others were from Dodoma, Mtwara, Kagera, Mbeya and Kilimanjaro.