From my diary:
Took a few items to Valeska School and intended to have a meeting of various households but all was strangely quiet throughout the village but I did not find out about it all until a little later.
Two thieves had stolen two cattle from within the village, but the youth of the village hunted the thieves down and killed them. So today the village leadership were at the Usa River police station to try to explain things so there would be no need for the police to visit the village - everyone was keeping a low profile.
Sure this is rough justice and it is how the people cope with a police force which does not serve the people well.
At this time the police had no transport and co opted vehicles when they needed transport - it was unwise to refuse though I did when I thought it appropriate by saying, 'It is Agency policy not to allow people in uniform into my vehicle.' At other times I did give a lift but only if I was going on short journeys.
They did not try to force me out of my way but If there was a bad accident, the police would instinct general traffic to to ferry the injured to hospital. There were no ambulances.
Of course the police could be bought which is a reason for the people taking the law into their own hands. Before I give an example or two of that, there was always the insinuation by the police they needed payment by flagging traffic down and saying that they are hungry with a snap of the hand to their mouth. I always managed to talk my way out of paying.
As hostel students walked up the 4.5km dirt road to Makumira Secondary School, thieves lay in wait to rob money or clothes or shoes. It kept happening, so I suggested that the school guards go down and catch them and I will ferry them to the police station in Usa River. Three were caught, but before we were home, they had escaped out of a window - more like paid for their release!
As I walked along a busy Arusha Street, a man came running from one of the building being chased by other men calling 'Mwizi' - thief - though I saw he was carrying nothing. The policeman standing by with a gun slung over his shoulder disappeared into the crowd. When the thief climbed under a low bridge covering a water channel newspapers were lit at each end and the man was simply left there - dead.
As we worked in our Sanawari garden a man jumped over the hedge and ran through the property, closely followed several young men. I saw the smoke and heard the yelling as the thief died after having a tyre paced around his neck and set alight. I asked Baraka about the reason and his simple reply was 'You cannot rely on the police!'
There are other police stories; and thief ones as well.
Two thieves had stolen two cattle from within the village, but the youth of the village hunted the thieves down and killed them. So today the village leadership were at the Usa River police station to try to explain things so there would be no need for the police to visit the village - everyone was keeping a low profile.
Sure this is rough justice and it is how the people cope with a police force which does not serve the people well.
At this time the police had no transport and co opted vehicles when they needed transport - it was unwise to refuse though I did when I thought it appropriate by saying, 'It is Agency policy not to allow people in uniform into my vehicle.' At other times I did give a lift but only if I was going on short journeys.
They did not try to force me out of my way but If there was a bad accident, the police would instinct general traffic to to ferry the injured to hospital. There were no ambulances.
Of course the police could be bought which is a reason for the people taking the law into their own hands. Before I give an example or two of that, there was always the insinuation by the police they needed payment by flagging traffic down and saying that they are hungry with a snap of the hand to their mouth. I always managed to talk my way out of paying.
As hostel students walked up the 4.5km dirt road to Makumira Secondary School, thieves lay in wait to rob money or clothes or shoes. It kept happening, so I suggested that the school guards go down and catch them and I will ferry them to the police station in Usa River. Three were caught, but before we were home, they had escaped out of a window - more like paid for their release!
As I walked along a busy Arusha Street, a man came running from one of the building being chased by other men calling 'Mwizi' - thief - though I saw he was carrying nothing. The policeman standing by with a gun slung over his shoulder disappeared into the crowd. When the thief climbed under a low bridge covering a water channel newspapers were lit at each end and the man was simply left there - dead.
As we worked in our Sanawari garden a man jumped over the hedge and ran through the property, closely followed several young men. I saw the smoke and heard the yelling as the thief died after having a tyre paced around his neck and set alight. I asked Baraka about the reason and his simple reply was 'You cannot rely on the police!'
There are other police stories; and thief ones as well.
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