"We were very horrified when we saw the bodies of the deceased, and it's not easy to figure out what their motive was." Kea said.
He also said that there is a big possibility that this incident is revenge resulting from people in the area tipping police about youngsters; as he heard one of the killers saying "where are our children whom you reported to the police?" "This incident has caused a lot if fear amongst residents as everyone is scared she/he might be next victim" he added.
The move by the killers to target adults and those who reported the youth to police has raised questions and fear among the people. According to some reports, a group of youth aged 10 and 14 were arrested on the eve of May 2, when they were passing through the village.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the killers, the villagers, who were involved in arresting and holding the youth, said they were suspicious of the boys when they passed through the village twice.
While holding them, they asked the youth where they were going and they answered that they wanted to cross through a swamp, but they decided to return to where they came from when they noticed that the swamp was full of water.
The villagers said that the young boys said they were residents of Tanga Town as well as Amboni, and that they were footballers.
They explained that when the night fell they went towards a direction with which they were not familiar and decided to retreat and found themselves approaching the village.
However the villagers said when they were still questioning the boys, who were speaking good Swahili with a Tanga accent, one of them escaped and they pursued him to no avail. One of the murdered men, Mr Issa Hussein, was apparently targeted because he was one of the people who had held the boys custody and notified the police, since they acted suspiciously.
Tanga Regional Police CommanderLeornard Paulo, who didn't want to go into details of the issue, confirmed that the police force was holding them.
"It must be understood that the incident is very scaring and is of its kind to have ever happened in the region. I would advice you to leave the police force and state organs carry out their investigations. I promise to give all reports soon after the completion of our investigations and satisfy ourselves with what we are searching for," RPC Paulo said
Mzizima Ward Councilor Fredirick Chiluba said residents are not living in fear, some have even searched protection by moving into the classrooms of Mleni Primary School as their scared they might be attacked in their homes.
The reporter was also informed that bodaboda (motorcycle) drivers in Tanga town have start to reject passengers who are going to Amboni for fear of being slaughtered.
Home Affairs deputy minister Hamad Masauni is in Tanga for a meeting with members of the regional defence and security committee.
Speaking during the burial of the victims in two separate graveyards, Mr Masauni, who was accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces, General Davis Mwamunyange and IGP Ernest Mangu, said the government would ensure that it did whatever it could to arrest the culprits.
The victims were Issa Hussein, Hamis Issa, Issa Ramadhani, Kadiri, Mahamoud David, Mikidadi Hussein and Mkola Hussein.
Source: thecitizens.com
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