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Diallo wants tourists’ security enhanced

Posted: Wednesday May 17, 2006 7:50 PM BT

By Sukhdev Chhatbar

THE Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Mr Anthony Diallo, has urged security organs in the country to be extra vigilant especially along tourist routes as the tourist season kicks-off in about two weeks time.

The minister said that the regular patrols should be maintained to ensure safety of passengers including tourists.

He was commenting on measures taken in the wake of last week's Moshi-Arusha highway armed robbery where several people were robbed of their personal belongings.

"We should look for deterrence rather than apprehension," he told the 'Daily News' over phone from Dar es Salaam yesterday.
He said that the relevant organs should tighten security at all tourist convergence points, and embark on surprise checks. The security movements should not be predictable, he added.

Sources told the 'Daily News' that the Tanzania Tour Operators Association (TATO) and other stakeholders are planning a meeting of Arusha Region's Facilitation Committee, to discuss the issue and mount joint strategies to ensure that the last week's incident does not recur.

TATO also plans to meet relevant regional authorities in the neighbouring Kilimanjaro region on the same issue.

The armed bandits, donning police uniforms last week stopped vehicles arriving from Moshi, and robbed passengers of their valuables such as wrist watches, rings, chains, mobile phones and cash, whose total amount is yet to be established.

Eye witnesses said that several vehicles were robbed, including some passengers who had arrived via Kilimanjaro International Airport. Luckily, on the fateful night, the KLM flight arrived much earlier at 7.30pm. The incident happened at 10pm near King'ori area, not too far from the Airport.
This was the third such incident in about three months.

The Arusha Regional Police Commander, Matei Balilo, told the 'Daily News' yesterday that they have yet to arrest any suspect.

However, the area of the crime and its vicinity, he said, were under intensified security and intelligence operations in efforts to apprehend the culprits.
He said the police suspected that the bandits might have originated from the Mirerani area, where a similar manhunt for the rogues was underway.

According to the Director General of the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Mr Peter Mwenguo, the country last year received 612,000 tourists, generating about one billion US dollars.

The country anticipates receiving about 700,000 tourists this year.

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