Mara RC concerned over rise in rape cases

AMBROSE WANTAIGWA in Musoma

THE rising number of rape cases in Mara region has prompted the area Regional Commissioner (RC), Adam Malima to intervene, after the regional welfare office reported three cases per day.

The RC has directed police to conduct a special operation to net all perpetrators and their associates who in most cases turn out to be fathers, grandfathers, uncles or trusted guardians of the victims.
The revelation came after the newly appointed RC was astonished by reports that hundreds of primary school girls who were registered across the entire region to commence class one seven years ago did not make it to the end due to pregnancy or early marriage.
One primary school teacher from Tarime district was recently arraigned at the district court for defiling more than four of his pupils. According to the Regional Social Welfare report which was availed to the Sunday News, 42 per cent of child abuse cases were mostly committed in the victim’s house, eight per cent in the neighbour’s home, and eight per cent in public places especially during morning wee hours.
The RC strongly condemned the increase of gender based criminal events that are denying the girl children their constitutional and natural right to social wellbeing and empowerment through education.
“It is a pity that most rape culprits turned out to be trusted elements before the victims, and once the cases were reported to the law enforcers, influential persons who in most cases turn out to be close relatives intervened to terminate proceedings. He ordered the police to arrest any person who is involved in one way or the other in aiding gender based violence, including FGM and early childhood marriages, and insisted on reviving all cases involving early pregnancies so that justice will not only be done but executed.
The RC has repeatedly warned regional residents to change their mindset and shun from chronic lawlessness and human rights violations which is rampant here, which has also triggered the government to introduce special police zones in the two districts of Tarime and Rorya in 2009.
Incidents of ethnic clashes, cattle rustling, armed robbery were on the rise, including rape and GBV, where the government deployed hundreds of policemen and gear to the new zonal command and of late residents have confessed to enjoying calm.
In a bid to curb rape in the region, the RC revealed all private gender organisations operating here must embark on actively training parents, local leaders as well as members of the community in handling, management and referral system for child abuse cases.
“Case management of child abuse, referral and reporting of child abuse cases, reporting at the right time to law enforcement, protective custody and involuntary commitment and role of the social worker in the preliminary investigation are all basic principles to combat rape and incest” Malima noted.