PEOPLE IN THE NEWS : General who comes from family of top police officers

Dar es Salaam. He is a disciplinarian and truly professional and that was probably why he stayed at the helm of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDC) for 10 years and four months.

Gen Davis Mwamunyange was to retire on January 30 last year, but President John Magufuli extended his contract for one year to have ample time to find someone to replace him.

Gen Mwamunyange, who retired on January 31, was a disciplinarian.

He approached challenges professionally.

He even handled with care the February 2011 Gongo la Mboto disaster when ammo explosions killed people and destroyed homes.

Another Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) who served for a long time (from 1964 to 1974) was Gen Mirisho Sarakikya.

Gen Venance Mabeyo succeeded Gen Mwamunyange, 58.

However, like a number of retired army officers, Gen Mwamunyange stands a chance of getting another appointment.

Last year, President Magufuli appointed four retired top army officers as regional commissioners. They are Maj Gen Ezekiel Kyunga (Geita), Maj Gen Salum Kijuu (Kagera), Maj Gen Raphael Muhuga (Katavi) and Brig Gen Emmanuel Maganga (Kigoma).

The President also named several others are district commissioners. They are Col Shaaban Lissu (Kyerwa), Lt Col Michael Mtenjele (Ngara), Lt Col Denis Mwila (Misenyi), Col Martin Mkisi (Kasulu), Col Hosea Ndagala (Kakonko) and Col Elisha Gasisti (Buhigwe).

Gen Mwamunyange was first appointed as CDF by President Jakaya Kikwete in 2007 when his predecessor Gen George Waitara retired after holding the post for eight years.

Before his appointment Gen Mwamunyange was the TPDF Chief of Staff.

The immediate former CDF’s elder, brother Aden Mwamunyange, was a journalist and senior police officer. He has retired from the force.

Their father, the late Adolf Mwamunyange, was a tutor at the then Moshi Police Academy, now Tanzania Police School during the presidency of Mwalimu Nyerere.

He headed the police unit of sniffer dogs.

Accomplishments

One year after his appointment, Gen Mwamunyange’s team of army officers joined African Union (AU) forces in 2008 to back the Comoros during the Operation Democracy to topple Col Mohamed Bacar’s leadership in Anjuan.

Col Bacar refused to step down after a disputed 2007 election.

The AU troops dislodged him and handed over power to the poll winner after only a day of the operation on March 25, 2008.

In 2009, TPDF peacekeepers were sent to Darfur, Sudan. In 2013, Tanzanian soldiers and AU troops took part in a campaign to flush out M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In February 2015, when gunmen clashed with police officers in Amboni Caves in Tanga, TPDF soldiers were asked to assist in the operation. That happened after a policeman was killed.

TPDF soldiers beat the criminals in just one hour.

In May last year, 15 masked gunmen killed three people at Masjid al-Rahman in Mwanza.

Several days later, when gunmen killed two police officers in Vikindu, Coast Region, the TPDF assistance was sought to pursue the suspects.

During his swearing-in ceremony in 2007, Gen Mwamunyange said since borders were porous, criminals might be sneaking into the country, causing a wave of armed robberies .

He ordered the army personnel to ensure discipline was maintained.

“We are here to protect our nation, its citizens and their properties. When soldiers are involved in crime, that is indefensible.”

Worries of his whereabouts

In 2015, rumours made the round of Tanzania that Gen Mwamunyange had disappeared from the public for a couple of months.

The rumour mill said he was poisoned and was flown to Nairobi for treatment.

His family refuted the information repeatedly. It maintained that the TPDF chief was as fit as a fiddle and nothing of the sort had happened.

On October 2015, his brother, Aden, appeared on TV to refute claims of his brother’s poisoning and treatment abroad. He said his brother was fine and continuing with official duties abroad.

The Ministry of Defence and National Service also released a statement in September to refute the allegations.

The ministry’s spokesman, Lt Col Juma Sipe, warned that investigations to establish who was spreading the false news were underway and that was being done in cooperation with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority.

The statement also asked rumour- mongers to apologise.

According to Lt Col Sipe, Gen Mwamunyange was well and was on a tour abroad. Photos showing Gen Mwamunyange in Italy and Dubai were later released.

But that did not stop some people from speculating. One person was arrested and charged with spreading lies about the general.

Benedict Angelo Ngonyani, a 24-year-old student at Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, was charged on October 9 with publishing materials which were considered “false or not verified by relevant authorities” over a Facebook post claiming that Gen Mwamunyange had been hospitalised after eating poisoned food.

On February 2, President Magufuli promoted Lieutenant General Venance Mabeyo to the rank of General and named him the CDF.

Before his promotion, he was the the Chief of Staff.

President Magufuli also appointed Lieutenant General James Mwakibolwa as the new Chief of Staff, succeeding General Mabeyo.