PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday called on foreign diplomats in Tanzania to respect the 1961 Vienna Convention on the conduct of diplomatic relations among sovereign states.

Addressing the country’s leading police officers and top leadership at the 60th anniversary of the Tanzania Police Force hosted by the national police academy (CCP) in Moshi municipality, she said that the landmark convention shows limits of diplomatic conduct.

In a forthright affirmation, she said that the country is governed by the constitution and not external directives, a week after envoys of the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada issued a joint appeal for thorough investigations on the abduction and murder of opposition cadre Mohamed Ali Kibao.

The president was surprised at the international attention given to Kibao’s death, while other tragic deaths in Tanzania, such as those involving children and albinos, often go unaddressed.

“It is surprising that this death has sparked condemnation, with some even labelling our government as killers. This is not right…we must condemn all such incidents.”

She said that the diplomats may have acted in their personal capacities and not on their mission briefs, noting that if necessary, any responses would be directed to the heads of state or government from the countries taking positions on the matter.

Expressing deep concern for the loss of lives, she said that the public acutely feels the pain, underlining that an investigation into the cadre's abduction and death was underway, as in the other incidents of disappearances.

Indirectly levelling a finger at the United States, the president noted that a top political leader there has survived two assassination attempts, with the government of that country handling investigations internally without outside interference.

It is exactly this approach that Tanzania is following in handling its internal investigations into the recent abduction and killing, she said, noting that when such incidents occur, “we do not send out diplomats to issue statements. We rely on diplomatic conventions; others should not act as if they are experts on what we should do.”

 “We are not here to be told how to run our country. We have our constitution, lawful guidelines and traditions that guide us in managing our affairs. Incidents like these happen in every country and when they happen, we have never instructed our ambassadors to tell them on how to handle it,” the president declared.

Reiterating that murder is unacceptable under any circumstances, she affirmed that the government has taken swift action to order a thorough investigation.

 “We have condemned the act and called for a swift investigation, as is standard practice worldwide. I have been assured that the investigation is progressing well,” she told the gathering.

Going over efforts during the past three years, she said that the government made huge efforts to restore political freedoms, media freedoms and civil liberties. Those who were in exile were asked to come back and individuals with criminal cases were given amnesty.

Those who were previously imprisoned were released and are now free to continue their activities, including political engagements, she elaborated, stressing the goal of uniting people to build the nation.

“However, if individuals who benefit from these efforts engage in actions that undermine or reverse our progress, we will not tolerate it. We will safeguard our nation’s peace and stability at all costs,” she cautioned.

At the ceremony, the president received an award from Inspector General Camillus Wambura, after having awarded certificates of recognition to ten retired police officers.

They had distinguished careers marked with patriotism, skill and courage, both before and after independence, where among those awarded were the first eight female officers to join the Tanganyika Police Force in 1958 and a female officer who was among the first twelve recruited by the Zanzibar Police Force following the January 1964 revolution.

Those awarded include retired senior police officer Abdalah Mfuko Mbwana, born on April 8, 1931, in Muheza, Tanga Region, and Police Constable Protas Ngasikwa, born on July 1, 1925, in Mlimba, Morogoro Region, who joined the police force on August 13, 1955, with the number A 4495.