A Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) soldier yesterday slapped a police officer at a busy traffic intersection in Dar es Salaam.The impatient army officer slapped the traffic policeman, identified as Sergeant Thomas, during the morning rush hour at the Morogoro Road, Mandela Expressway and Sam Nujoma Road junction.The soldier, whose identity and rank were not immediately established, was apparently angered by the police officer's decision to hold up the queue coming from Buguruni for over ten minutes and give preference to traffic heading to the city centre from Kimara.
Now I am not the kinda guy who supports vigilantism. But any Bongolander who has gone through a similar experience - being made to wait by a traffic cop for minutes on end, through some weird logic, while he prioritises motorists from one route, oblivious to those of the other routes - will feel that soldier's frustrations. As Chris Rock said of O.J's alleged killing of his wife and her boyfriend: 'I don't condone it, but I understand.'
