One of the women, killed after being gang raped

FEAR and uncertainty grip Mto-Wa-Mbu section of Monduli District as a gang of unknown men is on the rampage, indiscriminately raping and attacking women, claiming one innocent life and badly injuring ten.

The horrid crime, which has been plaguing the roadside township, located along the main Makuyuni to Ngorongoro highway, is reported to have existed for over a week now, targeting lone female walkers, those who hire motorcycle taxis at night and those caught farming at late hours in the evening or early mornings.

"One of the women, Ruth Elias was recently killed after being gang raped; the family refused to bury her body in protest," explained Mama Amina Seif, the chairperson of Kisutu sub-location of Mto-wa-Mbu, adding that in retaliation of the surging crime wave, women in the area have been conducting daily marches in protest.Ms Mary Steven, one of the residents of Mto wa Mbu said there is a case in which a woman had just hired a tricycle taxi (Bajaji) without knowing that, the driver was colluding with the rapists.

He drove her into the ‘den of lions’ and upon waking up from unconsciousness she was badly bartered up. Mr Ally Salim and Abeid Mushi also residents of Mto-wa- Mbu, said sometimes the women were accosted by criminals while on their way to farms, early in the morning and others attacked right in their farms, sometimes injuring even the children accompanying them.

Some of the women, who suffered serious injuries are admitted for treatment to different hospitals in Arusha. Pastor Philip Fisso is a cleric whose daughter fell victim of the dark wave of unknown rapists; “We need to come together as a community and smoke the culprits out; I am sure they live amongst us and some people know them,” he said.

The Arusha Regional Police Commander, (RPC) Ramadhan Ng’wazi, said his office has just dispatched a special team of police officers to deal with the situation in Mto-wa-Mbu and as we were going to press, at least five suspects had been arrested as the hunt goes on.