Court disappointed by Wasira quarrel

Mwanza. The former Minister for Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives, Mr Stephen Wasira, has disappointed the High Court in Mwanza.

Wasira attempted to assault a Mwananchi Communication Limited (MCL) photojournalist Michael Jamson to stop him from fulfilling his duty on Wednesday.

The Registrar of the High Court in Mwanza, Mr Francis Kabwe, said his office was “deeply disappointed” by the incident since it interfered with the media freedom.

However, he said the court could not take any action against Mr Wasira because the incident occurred outside the courtroom.

“Had the incident taken place before the court when the hearing was continuing, it would have been treated as comtempt of court; but because it was outside the courtroom, our hands are tied, perhaps other law enforcement organs could have intervened,” explained Mr Kabwe.

He said he was shocked to see pictures on Thursday’s papers showing Mr Wasira chasing the photojournalist.

“It was shocking, considering the age and government posts Mr Wasira had in previous years,” stressed Mr Kabwe.

The 71-year-old Wasira held various ministerial posts from the 1970s to last year.

In last Wednesday’s incident, Mr Wasira said he did not like being photographed.

Mr Wasira, who was accompanied by Bunda Urban constituency election petitioners Magambo Masato and four others, was in court for a ruling regarding the request of an appeal to challenge the previous ruling which threw out the application.

Mr Wasira told The Citizen on Thursday that he pursued the photographer after noticing something unusual. “It’s quite impossible for a photojournalist to take one hundred photographs of a single person just for news. No! I’m aware that election animosity is still continuing and it is possible the young man is being used by my political opponents.”