Sefue: We’re not surprised at decision

Dar es Salaam. The government is yet to receive an official communication from the US warning that it may not approve the second MCC compact over corruption scandals in the county.

However, Chief Secretary Ombeni Sefue told The Citizen yesterday that he would not be surprised to learn of the development.

The MCC board on Wednesday during its annual country selection meeting threatened not to approve a five-year compact worth over $500 million (Over Sh850 billion) until the government took “firm and concrete” steps in combatting corruption. The MCC Board cited the IPTL scandal as a recent example whose outcome it would await before making its final decision.

According to Mr Sefue, MCC periodically reviews the trend of its partner states and some of the key indicators are good governance and country’s commitment in fighting corruption.

“Even after receiving the compact, they will keep on assessing you during those five years of executing projects and you have to reach the agreed targets throughout,” he said.

The MCC board also said that they expected the government would act promptly and decisively on parliamentary resolutions regarding IPTL, a fact Mr Sefue said President Jakaya Kikwete was already working on.

“I’m on record as saying that the President is taking the matter with utmost seriousness and even issued a statement to Tanzanians that he will give his verdict next week.

“The President is working on the resolutions of the Parliament, he is not under pressure from anyone including the MCC board,” he said.

He said the parliament in its resolutions advised the President first to look into the evidence and finally arrive to a sound conclusion, “and that is what the President is doing since he came back from his medical tour in the US”.

On Tuesday, the State House Directorate of Communications issued a statement saying that the Head of State had already received the Controller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report, Parliament resolutions and other documents on the controversial cash withdraw.

“The President is presently going through all documents; he will give his stand in a week’s time. He will take action on issues that he has to handle directly and give directives on the implementation of others,” reads part of the statement.

According to the statement, Mr Kikwete has also ordered the publication of the CAG report in most read newspapers and social media for wananchi to read and understand its content with regard to the escrow .

What is at stake?

In the event that the MCC board withdraws the support, Tanzania will lose funding for development projects estimated at $500 million (Over Sh8 billion). The core projects will focus on the power sector, including investments in infrastructure as well as policy, regulatory and institutional reforms and reforming the debt-ridden Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (Tanesco).

Part of the money also is targeted at improving market access via rural roads.

, with a geographic emphasis on the highly productive Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT)

source: The Citizen