THE House of Representatives has proposed the authorisation of Zanzibar’s anti-smuggling unit—KMKM—to handle cases related to smuggling.
House Rules and Bylaws Committee Chairman Rashid Makame Shamsi decried deteriorating work relations between coast guards and the Police Force in handling the cases and impounded properties.
He said the unit had ceased cooperating with law enforcers and instead established new work relations with Zanzibar AntiCorruption and Economic Crimes Authority (Zaeca).
Presenting the committee’s report summary in the House, Mr Makame further proposed the construction of a special warehouse for the Zanzibar navy unit to store the confiscated properties related to smuggling to check rampant losses.
The government through the President’s Office (Regional Administration, Local Government and Special Departments) had drafted the 2018 KMKM rules on investigation and arrest in smuggling related cases to facilitate anti-smuggling operations.
Before the rules, the anti-smuggling unit faced many challenges, including changing tactics by smugglers, lack of a warehouse to store impounded goods, increasing smuggling routes and overlapping responsibilities between KMKM and other institutions.
On the 2018 notification rules, the committee warned municipal and district councils against introducing regulations that contradicted principal laws and other authorities, directing the ministry to ensure upright management of the introduced by-laws.
