By Bernard James
Saed Kubenea, an investigative journalist in the weekly Mwana Halisi is fighting for his life in hospital after unknown armed men attacked him and a colleague in their office yesterday night in what he believes attempts to terminate his life.
The journalist who sustained severe head injuries is also facing the danger of permanently losing sight after one of the bandits poured him acid on his face before they sped away.
Speaking at his bed at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) yesterday, Kubenea said the incident happened at around 9:00 when he and another veteran journalist Ndimara Tigambwage were winding up office duties ready to left for their homes.
“This is the real cost of practicing journalism fearlessly and professionally,” courageous and unafraid Kubenea said from his bed flanked by journalists and relatives.
“It is a fight against the truth we uncover and hard-hitting features we publish, nothing else! He said.
The Kinondoni Regional Police Commander, Jamal Rwambow told the Citizen yesterday that investigation on the incident was going on well, promising to release a comprehensive statement today.
Kubenea, news editor with Kiswahili weeklies, Mwana Halisi and Mseto has come out fearlessly last year to expose scandals, office abuse and allegations of embezzlement of public funds involving big shots within and outside the government.
He vowed, however, at his bed not to give up with investigative journalism that has increasingly put his life in jeopardy in recent months.
The writer has received at least 15 text messages from unknown persons from June last year threatening to terminate his life shouldn’t he stop following up their life.
“Your death will be of its kind that your body will never be found,” one of the SMS he received read.
Another reads:” Take your last breath. We are not far from you. Few hours are left before we send you where you deserve.”
“Watch out we are not joking on this. We want your death to be a threat even to mabwana zako.
Doctors treating him are yet to identify the type of acid poured on him and have advised him to seek specialized treatment in India. Kubenea told reporters relatives and friends are making arrangements to secure air ticket and fly him to India, possibly tomorrow.
The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) deputy secretary general (Zanzibar) Juma Haji Duni visited the hospital to comfort Kubenea, describing the act as a failed attempt to suppress the truth.
“This is just a threat to stop you from writing the truth. Do what you good conscious directs you, you don’t have to give up,|” Duni said.
Narrating, Kubenea said three men knocked at their office door. Upon opening the door, he found himself surrounded with the men armed with machetes, knives and iron bar, telling him that they needed his soul.
Fight broke out when Ndimara intervened to rescue his colleague. During the fight, he said, one bandit dropped a machete but when he (Kubenea) tried to pick it, acid on his face.
According to Kubenea, the bandits later speed away, probably in belief that Kubenea he already has died.
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