A review of the mainstream press over the past two months shows that prominent leaders have been engaging in talking about how drug barons have been using young people as drug mules/traffickers.
One of the national newspapers recently described Dar es Salaam as a haven of drug cartels dealing with heroin, mandrax and cocaine. That we have heard no one in authority deny it, tells a lot. The police or the central government have not bothered much. The police force has often indicated that it works day and night to curb the menace, but it seems that its efforts are bearing no or little fruit.
No wonder then the “drug mule” activity is fast catching on and somewhat becoming an attractive habitual routine among young Tanzanians. We are talking of people, who transport illegal drugs by swallowing them in sachets, concealing them in their body cavity.
As a result, an unknown number of our young men and women are languishing in foreign jails all over the world, having been caught acting as conduits for dangerous drugs.
In nations that have zero tolerance on illegal drug trade, including Iran and China, reports abound about a number of Tanzanians having been hanged after being caught with the drugs. According to other reports being circulated, in Hong Kong alone there are about 200 inmates from Tanzania, many of them serving long sentences in jail.
You can bet that our ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is not that keen to do an expensive audit on how many Tanzanians have been hanged or are in jail for drug trafficking.
A review of the mainstream press over the past two months shows that prominent leaders have been engaging in talking about how drug barons have been using young people as drug mules/traffickers. Indeed, a number of local artistes (wasanii) have been confirmed nailed as among people being used as mules. However, as usual, no big fish has been caught.
Recall the story of artiste Ray C? Drug addiction almost cost her life until President Kikwete intervened, and apparently paid for her expensive rehabilitation therapy. But as we continue to hear of our youngsters caught and hanged in foreign lands for drug trafficking, we should be more worried about all our children who are now at the mercy of drug barons.
Drug traffickers are as bad as cold blooded murderers. As soon as one is addicted to hard drugs - cocaine or heroin – most of the time there is only one ending: a slow painful death and in destitution. Meanwhile, the drug baron reaps blood benefits as the addict will do anything to buy his or her dose, as well as turning into a willing mule.
Imagination has it that the drug mules are lured by the prospects of quick riches; one trip or two, and the young man/woman next time will be at Masaki or other posh Dar es Salaam suburbs of the rich, driving his dream car. His/her counterparts in the village, having failed to go beyond Form Two education, are left to contend with subsistence farming while deeply wondering: “I was not born a farmer.” With such mentality, you can guess, such a farmer will hardly make it.
This brings to mind the fact that once again it is Nane Nane week, celebrating the Tanzanian Farmer’s Day, (a yearly event on 8 August). Maybe, this is the only day to remember at national level that agriculture is the mainstay of the economy and the occupation of the majority of our people. Immediately after Nane Nane, it is back to life as usual, deriding farming communities for their poverty, predicament and all. Climate change is also blamed for farmers for encroaching on forests without replanting or planting trees. Worse still, if the poor farmers cannot get good prices for their produce, it is their fault for refusingl to modernise their farms. It is a terrible scenario.
