Tanzania: JPM directive on prisoners sparked debate on social media

By Louis Kolumbia

Dar es Salaam – President John Magufuli's directive to the new Commissioner-General for Prison Services, Phaustine Kasike, sparked a serious debate on social media.

Speaking at an inauguration ceremony of Mr. Kasike and Deputy Secretary General of the Office of the Vice President (Environment and Union), Joseph Sokoine, at the House of the State, Saturday, July 14, said that prisoners should work hard to make the prison self-sufficient according to need

Magufuli said the prisoners were free workers who should be better used to make the prison self-sufficient in food , in the houses of the officers and to reduce the dependence of the central government.

Some social media users support the directive while others view it as an offense. the rights of detainees. Here's what Try Again writes on Twitter: "The president wants the prisoners to work and not be deprived of their rights, the production activities are important to the prisoners rather than remain inactive."

But, says Maria Sarungi Tsehai the opposite:

"Do not go out of consciousness, what did he mean by saying that slackers should be expelled?" Did not you hear that, stop defending the evils, "she wrote on her grip." Torture and brutality towards human beings did not concern what the constitution says or what religions say: going to church or mosque is nothing but a sin if you support torture against other human beings. ] However, try again clarified. "Something we do not understand until we are part of it, is that people can not work without threats, believe me, the central lines could hardly be built without blows in Kigoma It did not mean the way people perceived it. "

In support of Try Again, Tumainiel Maruwa:

" Maria, do not criticize unreasonably Our prisons are not centers Even God has prisons for sinners … "