Arusha church bombing death toll rises

BY LUSEKELO PHILEMON.

The death toll from Sunday’s bomb blast at a church in Arusha is now three after one of the wounded, Isabela Michael (19), died at St Elizabeth Hospital, where she was undergoing treatment.

The rise was reported yesterday in Dodoma by Chief Medical Officer of the Roman Catholic Church-based hospital, Goodluck Kwayu, when he briefed Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu.

Back in Arusha, speaking at the Mount Meru Regional Hospital, Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Ambassador Seif Idd, strongly condemned the incident, calling on the nation to remain united and not allow terrorists to achieve their goal of religious and social division.

“The church bombing incident should not divide Christians and Muslims, historically we have coexisted peacefully …,” the Isles’ VP reminded the nation.

For his part, the First Vice President, Seif Sharrif Hamad, who also visited the wounded at the regional hospital, asserted that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and opposition Civic United Front (CUF) also denounce the squalid act.

“We condemn the terrorist attack, it is unacceptable and we are very disheartened,” he said, calling Tanzanians to team up with security organs by availing all information that would help in the arrest of those involved in the bombing.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda has warned against any attempt in any way or form, to use the Sunday’s church bombing for political gains.

“There are politicians who have started using the incident for political gains …,” said the Premier, who had an impromptu visit to Arusha on Monday where he visited both the bomb site as well as the injured at the Mount Meru regional hospital.

He called such political ventures despicable and unacceptable saying this is a time for mourning and retribution not division and political rhetoric.

“This is unacceptable. This incident needs to be condemned by all peace lovers, so there is no room for political biased rhetoric, accusations and blames, let the police do their job,” he stressed.

In another development, the PM clarified that the suspects were arrested due to the suspicious nature of their visit, highlighting that they arrived a day before the blast and were leaving a day after.

“The police have arrested eight people including four Saudi Arabia nationals along with some Tanzanians Joseph and Ambrose ... all of whom are mere suspects and investigations are ongoing as to whether they were actually involved ...,” Premier Pinda told the Parliament yesterday.

He also informed the House that surgeons and coroners have been tasked with turning in to police all foreign material found in or on the bodies of the victims as well as their clothes and property for forensic analysis.

Sources say the four Saudis who were arrested on Monday in connection with the Sunday bombing, spent a night at a local hotel in Arusha. Their port of entry to Tanzania was Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) on May 4 and was apprehended at the Namanga border post as they were leaving the country.

The blast occured as the Vatican's ambassador to Tanzania, Archbishop Francisco Montecillo Padilla and a congregation of hundreds was in the first part of mass during the official opening of the church. 

The clerics escaped unhurt but like the rest of the nation they were shocked and downcast by the act which they too strongly condemned and they both made a point to visit the injured.

The tragedy has cost at least three lives and other 66 people have been injured and although most of them are improving but three are in critical condition. Some 24 other have been discharged. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (08/05/2013): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=54425