DAILY NEWS Reporter, 25th November 2009 @ 14:09, Total Comments: 5, Hits: 731
TWO soldiers of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) were shot dead by their fellow soldier, Private Haji Hussein, in Kasulu District last Monday.
A TPDF statement issued in Dar es Salaam today named the deceased as Private Hildiphonce Burunja from Shinyanga and Private Rashid Nawawi from Zanzibar. The deceased were on sentry duty at the Tanzania and Burundi border.
According to the statement, the grisly incident happened after Hussein had returned from the bank where he had gone to collect his salary and found his fellow soldiers taking their meals.
He then told them: “Maskini anaishi muda mrefu kwa tabu nyingi na tajiri anaishi muda mfupi kwa raha nyingi,’’ literally meaning a poor man leads a very long life but miserable one while a rich man lives a short but luxurious life.”
After saying that, he left as his colleagues continued taking their meals. Unknown to his colleagues, the soldier had gone to the armoury where he took a sub-machine gun that had 30 bullets.
Hussein then went back to the mess where he immediately opened fire in the direction of his fellow soldiers. He shot Private Masanja in the head twice and once in the arm, killing him instantly.
The remaining soldiers fled to the bush for their lives, leaving Hussein behind who later entered into the armoury again where he took another 120 bullets. He then headed to the hangars where he set his room and those of his colleagues on fire.
Leaving the rooms burning, Hussein, who was employed by the army in 2002, then headed to the barrack’s headquarters. On the way, he came across Nawawi, who was returning from town to collect his salary. He opened fire on the unsuspecting Nawawi, killing him instantly.
Hussein then abandoned the weapon and 92 bullets and disappeared to an unknown place. Police have launched a manhunt for the killer soldier.
According to the statement, 51 bullets have not been traced. The motive behind the killings has not yet been established. Police and the TPDF are investigating the incident.
Total Comments on the above stories (5)
Comment
What goes around comes around. These guys have been a terror to innocent civilians every where. That now they have turned on themselves it is good that they will start respecting we citizens who cannot defend ourselves.
Comment
I feel so sorry for what happen however the an investingating should be done especially the management style i.e those soldiers mighty be suffering from psychosocial hazards
Comment
It pains a lot.This is a big challenge to TPDF,recentry,there have been events of shame of our soldiers,these include robbery.theft,violence to civilian and now killing themselves,what next?
Comment
there is something behind the scine it is impossimble for the full knowledgeble man to kill others unexpected. If it is not women matters there was something hiden for long time.Please soldiers DO NOT repeat succh a fool issue.The killed ones have left Families whom they depended to. SO who yhey will folow to get their normal demands like FOODS
Comment
What Hussein did to his fellow soldiers is inhuman. No matter what they did to him. As a soldier Hussein was expected to kill the country enemy and not his fellow. The TPDF should educate other s0ldiers about such unreasonable decision
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