PEOPLE IN THE NEWS : Agony of the Msuya family

Dar es Salaam. On August 7, 2013, ‘billionaire’ gemstone dealer Erasto Msuya was murdered on his way from Mirerani Hills to Arusha Town. His life came to a brutal end at the KIA junction after yet unknown attackers sprayed 12 rounds of ammunition in his body.

Last December, his sister Ester Msuya and her husband, reportedly sustained injuries after they were shot at the Hongera Bar in Dar es Salaam. Like in the brother’s case, the attackers are not known.

A few months down the line -- last week -- the 30-year-old sister of the fallen dealer, Aneth Msuya, was brutally killed at her home in Kibada, Dar es Salaam.

A sombre mood still engulfs relatives and friends of Aneth, who was an economist with the Ministry of Finance and Planning. Her killing was as brutal as it is unbelievable -- her assailants used a knife to cut her throat.

Investigations have been launched into her mysterious death. What will come out of the probe is for the future to tell. But people close to the Msuya’s are worried about the unusual incidents that have been happening since the brutal killing of their elder brother.

According to media reports, her four-year-old son said unknown people arrived at their house at night and sprayed some chemical liquid in his face.

When the boy came to in the morning, he found his mother lifeless. She had died. The question investigators, relatives and friends are probably asking is: Who exactly is after the Msuya family?

‘We fear nothing’

Her friends are still in disbelief and in the dark as to what really happened to their beloved one. They said the lady did not deserve such a brutal death.

At the burial in Mirerani, the deceased’s sister, Ms Ester Msuya, assured mourners that the family remained stable after the killing of one of their own.

“We fear nothing because as a family, we have decided to hand everything to God, and we believe he will protect us,” she said.

She added: “The best thing here is to ask ourselves how prepared we are in case God calls us today. We cannot build walls to hide or stop killers from reaching us; we must get prepared and stay close to God, He is the only who can decide on our destiny.”

A family friend, Ms Irene Mchomvu, told The Citizen on Sunday Ms Msuya was such a polite and loving lady. “Aneth was very polite, loving but sometimes a reserved lady,” she said.

She added that because the deceased was a reserved lady, sometimes it was difficult for her to establish new friends or for people to get too close to her.

“It was difficult to establish friendship with her, but once she was in, she really meant it. She was ready to carry other people’s burdens,” said Ms Mchomvu, who was also the deceased’s high school classmate.

“She was such a smart lady in class. Aneth was very intelligent; she was among the best students from primary school to university,” she added.

Another secondary school classmate, Ms Dorcas Lyatuu, said the deceased was blessed with wisdom, respect and above all she was a God-fearing person.

She said: “I am asking the society to change, to stop this kind of evil. The government should also do its job to protect civilians,” she said.

An official with the Ministry for Finance and Planning, Mr Wilbrod Mkweto, said the deceased was hardworking and skilled. He said the government expected her to serve for more than 30 years. “Her untimely death has robbed us; she served in the ministry for less than two years,” he said.

There have been rumours that possibly, the killers were hunting all close relatives of the fallen gemstone dealer, Mr Msuya.

She asked the government through the Police Force to investigate and arrest all people who were involved in the killing.

Reverend Zelothe Pallangyo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), asked the government to end killings in the country, including those in houses of prayer.

He said people no longer live in peace amid the widespread killings in various parts of the country, and that the government must do something to stop the trend and arrest the culprits.

The fallen economist was buried on May 31 in Simanjiro District. Police say they are continuing with investigations.