a street in Iringa galleryfull
THE government has to take immediate action to educate and sensitize village leaders in Iringa region on usage of legal mechanism in solving conflicts rather than allowing them to take the law into their own hands which is putting the lives of women and men at risk.
Urgent action is required following revelation of a survey conducted in Kidabaga village, Kilolo district which shows that leaders use corporal punishment against citizens women and men to the extent that some women have suffered miscarriage.
The survey conducted by TAMWA in collaboration with media houses last month on Gender Based Violence quoted some Kidabaga villagers complaining that the village Executive Officer, Vincent Gaifalo and the village Chairman Nicolous Katindasa have been whipping women to the extent of causing miscarriage.
The villagers accused their Executive Officer, Vincent Gaifalo of whipped Seidina Kidwangise 30 strokes despite her being pregnant forcing her to accept that she had stolen money from her husband whom she had travelled with to attend a funeral in the village.
In an interview during the survey the woman said that despite her husband’s plea with the village executive officer not to punish her due to her condition, Gaifalo went on with the barbaric act.
Three days later the woman lost her three months pregnancy and was treated at the village dispensary but her situation she was later transferred to Iringa regional hospital because she had suffered morbidity as a result of the 30 strokes.
The head of the District Hospital Iringa Dr Deogratias Manyama confirmed the admission of Seidina Kidwangise on the 19th of April stating that she had marks of being beaten and had a miscarriage and adding that till now she can neither stand nor walk. Another woman was also alleged to have been whipped 16 strokes by the village Executive Officer Mr Nicolous Katandasi causing her to lose her pregnancy.
The head of investigations in Kilolo district OC-CID Charles Mwakipesile said they have already arrested Nicholous Katandasi and opened charges against him although he is currently out on a bail.
However, men and women interviewed expressed their dissatisfaction with the case sighting corruption to hinder the case against the Executive Officer. Area residents also say that since the 2010 elections that lead to the appointment of former Kilolo DC Athumani Mfutakamba to the position of Assistant Minister, the area has never had a District Commissioner thus the major cause of many problems.