Tanzanian peacekeepers around the world assured of compensation

Faustine Kapama & Abdallah Msuya

THE government together with the United Nations (UN) has been providing compensation for deaths and injuries sustained to Tanzanian soldiers taking part in peacekeeping missions in Africa and other parts of the world.

This was said before the National Assembly here by the Minister for Defence and Security, Dr Hussein Mwinyi when responding to a question by Ally Saleh Ally (Malindi-CUF), who wanted to know whether there was any compensation given to soldiers sustaining injuries and deaths when they are in such missions.

The minister admitted that it was true in some areas of peacekeeping mission deaths and probably some injuries face the soldiers.

However, he was quick to point out that the UN has been taking the responsibility of effecting compensations to the effected soldiers. The minister further said that upon return to the country, the soldier’s families receive all the benefits in accordance with the service that the person had served.

“Therefore, in this there is no dispute; compensation is provided according to what the procedure requires. This is for both sides of the United Nations and the government and the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces in Tanzania for all those who are injured and those who lost their lives,” he said.

In the basic question, the MP had said that Tanzania has been sending peacekeeping forces in Africa and other parts of the world as it is required. He therefore wanted to know to what extent such exercises strengthen Tanzania’s name.

The lawmaker further wished to know where and how many peacekeeping forces were dispatched in the past ten years and the challenges available during gathering the troops before they are sent outside the country for such missions.

Dr Mwinyi responded that Tanzania is a member of UN and was fulfilling her obligations of assisting countries with conflicts to bring peace wherever requested to do so.

“Our engagement has brought us great honour in the world in all instances after showing readiness to provide assistance in peace and security together with good work being done by our army in carrying out this role,” the minister said.

He pointed out further that in the past ten years, Tanzania sent peacekeeping forces in various places, notably two military combines in Lebanon in 2008, one military force in Darfur, Sudan since 2009 and over one military force of over 1256 personnel since 2013 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“Each group is replaced after performing the role of peacekeeping for a period of one year,” the minister said. He analysed some of the challenges available during gathering the troops before they are sent outside the country for such mission.

Among the challenges, according to the minister, include training costs, cost of military equipment to be used by soldiers at the area of their operation and the difficulty of getting realistic training sites where they are going, like in deserts and forests among others.