WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO COMMISSION MEMBERS WORK WITH?

Adeladius Makwega–MBAGALA

It was Thursday morning, January 8, 2026, when the Regional Commissioner of Mara Region, Colonel Evans Alfred Mtambi, received some members of the Commission of Inquiry into the incidents of breach of peace that occurred during and after the General Election of October 29, 2025, in Tanzania, an East African nation.

“Two black vehicles entered the Mara Regional Commissioner’s Office. Then a very tall elderly man wearing a black suit stepped out, followed by a tall, dignified woman who was elegantly dressed. They greeted the Regional Commissioner and then greeted all members of the Regional Security and Safety Committee of Mara Region, who were all present without representation. After that, the members of the Regional Security and Safety Committee dispersed, and the Regional Commissioner led the delegation into his office.”

Inside the Mara Regional Office entered these two commission members along with two other individuals: one older man and one young man, both wearing matching suits. Among the commission members, the woman signed three visitors’ books first, followed by the tall man, who also signed three visitors’ books.

The Regional Commissioner then gave a brief explanation about his region, as he usually does when receiving guests.

After that, the female commission member introduced herself in a slightly low voice, but the word that was audible to the writer of this article was Ambassador (Balozi). The second member, the tall man, was also introduced as an Ambassador, along with his two names. The commission members then proceeded to a special hall where they met and questioned people.

The external environment around the area where the two commission members were meeting and questioning people showed a lot of activity, with staff from the Security and Defense organs constantly moving in and out, as if they too were being interviewed.

If you overheard conversations outside, people were asking each other several questions:

“What exactly are they investigating?”

Another person replied,

“There is a questionnaire.”

This was the situation observed by Mwanakwetu on that day.

What does Mwanakwetu say today?

Indeed, it is true that the commission is at work and has now reached Mara Region, where it was received by the Regional Commissioner of Mara, Colonel Mtambi, and the Regional Administrative Secretary of Mara, Teacher Gerald Musabila Kusaya.

While present there, Mwanakwetu investigated with whom this commission has been working since it was appointed.

While Colonel Mtambi was speaking with the two commission members, remember that there were also two other people present: one young man and one older man who was going in and out of the office.

Through his investigation, Mwanakwetu discovered that one of them was an employee from the State House, while the other he could not identify. As for the drivers of the two vehicles, they were not fortunate enough to step out of their cars the entire day, so it was impossible to identify who they were.

“By remaining inside the vehicles the whole time, this signaled that they were drivers from the Security and Defense organs, because they usually behave this way.”

My reader, I was deeply focused on finding out who these assistants to the commission members were. I had many questions.

“As I observed this, I remembered a time when the Catholic Diocese of Same faced challenges related to conduct—perhaps concerning Bishop Jacob Koda—who later resigned from that position. I believe the retired Bishop Koda resigned due to those challenges. Mwanakwetu, I studied at Same Secondary School in 1994–1995, and at that time the Cathedral Church was under construction. Some indigenous Catholics of Same whom I studied with, who were members of TYCS, I asked them what the problem was. The Vatican sent a commission to investigate the conduct of this bishop, and afterward Jacob Koda resigned.

Part of that team included members such as Bishop Lebulu, a native of Same from TEC, who at that time was the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha, along with other members from the Vatican.”

It is true that a commission must have assistants, but who exactly are these people, and where do they come from?

“For example, it would be very difficult for retired Bishop Jacob Koda to investigate himself, his priests, and his nuns. That is why the Vatican sent a special team. And I remember, Mwanakwetu, I was already a journalist at that time, and I wrote an article titled ‘Let the Vatican Say What Bishop Koda Did.’”

Whether the commission members ask questions verbally or through questionnaires, the main issue is: what kind of person is the one assisting them in collecting these opinions? Can such a person protect the broader interests of the nation? Or are they the same people who advised us and led us to where we are now?

The commission members are our fathers and mothers; we must know those who are close to them in this work—are they good people? Are they people of integrity? Because today’s criminals have no respect, no manners; they are reckless people. That is why even today we do not know the whereabouts of the former Ambassador to Cuba, brother Polepole.