President Jakaya Kikwete has said the Government will not bail out Tanzanians living outside the country who are involved in criminal acts and other breaches of the laws in their countries of residence.
He declared the position during talks with Tanzanians living in France, whom he asked to respect all the laws, regulations and rules guiding their stay in the respective foreign countries.
"Nobody forced you come this way and so you must observe all laid down regulations obtaining in your host countries," said the President, warning: "If you engage in illegal businesses such as drug trafficking and thefts, you will face legal action and risk being hauled to jail."
He said that the Government would stand by only those wrongly charged with crime and not otherwise, elaborating: "If there is proof that one has indeed not committed any offence and is thus in trouble by mistake, the Government will do all it can to help."
President Kikwete also used the occasion to remind Tanzanians living in foreign countries to help their relatives back home out of economic difficulties down to the village level and to think of investing in Tanzania.
He said that would supplement efforts by the Government to bring about radical economic growth and development in the country.
The President stated that the government has made significant strides in efforts to improve the people"s welfare and develop various sectors and services, notably access to social services like water, education and health as well as agriculture and infrastructure.
He admitted that poverty was generally still at a high level, with the gross domestic product standing at a lowly $370 per year, and called on the people not to expect miracles from the Government "because even Rome was not built in a day".
Commenting on the war against HIV/AIDS, the President said there was encouraging progress and the authorities and institutions concerned were working hard to prevent new infections.
"Our focus is to shield coming generations against the scourge by keeping new infections at bay. That is one reason the government has launched a countrywide HIV/AIDS voluntary testing campaign," he explained.
President Kikwete also discussed the state of corruption, governance and the rule of law in Tanzania, saying the country was politically stable and there was marked growth in freedom of speech and popular participation in active politics.
He added: "The Government is determined to ensure peace, consolidate our national unity and root out corruption. But we would like to see politicians stop preaching disunity because, if the inflammatory utterances some have been making are left unchecked, they could fuel instability and plunge the country into chaos".
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