By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
The second day of the regional joint roundtable involving the Directors of Public Prosecutions and Inspector Generals of Police, focused on addressing Emerging Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the region.
DPPs from various countries are actively participating and proposing potential solutions to this pressing issue.
Vincent Monda, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions in Kenya, emphasized the necessity of a multi-lateral cooperative strategy to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons cases.
“As investigations are key, there is a need to operationalize joint investigations teams as envisioned by the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crimes (UNTOC). There is a need for Eastern African countries to have a strategic plan on how to cooperate and collaborate using a transnational approach,” said Mr. Vincent Monda.
He added that there is need to utilize regional professional networks to advance how to handle transnational organized crimes.
“For instance, we need to utilize the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Corporation Organization (EAPCCO) as a professional network. In response to persisting threats and needs, EAPCCO focuses on the timely sharing of information, coordinating planning and action, and sharing of experiences and best practices among member states,” he added.
“We may have different legal regimes but through cooperation, it is possible to surmount legal challenges faced.”
He emphasized the necessity of adopting an approach that supports rather than diminishes collaborative efforts, asserting that laws should serve to promote cooperation rather than hinder it.
Mr. Mgeni, the DPP from Zanzibar, also stated that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is unequivocally unacceptable, despite its rising prevalence globally. He pointed out that this issue transcends legal considerations and is fundamentally a matter of policy.
“We should focus on fighting it rather than preventing it. We need to expand the scope by looking at both the emotional and economic violence of GBV. In East Africa, especially Zanzibar, there are different cultures, races, and traditions making the fight against GBV difficult,” Mgeni Jecha, DPP Zanzibar