MPs uproar over runaway corruption in government

CCM Special Seats MP Esther Bulaya debates the Public Accounts Committee and Local Authorities Accounts Committee reports in Bunge in Dodoma yesterday. PHOTO | EDWIN MJWAHUZI 

Dodoma. A week after President Jakaya Kikwete reshuffled cabinet and swore in new ministers, Members of Parliament have started to bay for blood of two other ministers after oversight committees revealed massive embezzlement, corruption and theft of public money.

Debating the reports yesterday, MPs from both camps of the House called for accountability from Finance minister Saada Mkuya after a Budget Committee report showed that her ministry had spent ring fenced money running into billions of shillings for purposes other than what it was intended for.

The report shows that the ministry diverted money meant for Rural Energy Agency (Rea) and the Road Fund.

Quoting Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), the committee shows that between July and November 2014 petroleum levy collected amounted to Sh180.7 billion.

According to the law, all this money was supposed to be forwarded to Rea for distribution of power in the rural areas, but as of this month the remitted money amounted to only Sh144.2 billion. On the other hand, Sh19.6 billion meant for Rea was realised from customs processing fee but only Sh12.2 billion was remitted. The total amount of money that the ministry diverted from Rea is Sh43.9 billion. The House also wants the minister out after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealed massive loss of public money through tax exemptions, grand corruption in major projects as well as embezzlement of public funds in a number of areas.

Lawmakers also demanded immediate sacking of the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Ms Hawa Ghasia, owing to the revelation of financial mess ups in local authorities.

 Mr Tundu Lissu (Singida East – Chadema) insisted on the need to make the two ministers accountable in order to put a stop to the growing trend where people have become insensitive to massive theft of public money.

“The problem is not bad people or poor leaders but impunity. Each year Parliament is treated to such massive theft and corruption such that we have become insensitive to bad news. Unfortunately, nothing tangible has been done to arrest this situation.

“We must decide now as Parliament. If we decide to condone the tendency let us continue with business as usual. But if we want to be accountable, let us start now by coming up with formal resolutions over these two ministers as a starter,” he said.

Mr Lissu said it was unfortunate that impunity has been the order of the day in the government. He even castigated President Jakaya Kikwete for sidestepping his constitutional duty of taking action against judges implicated in the Tegeta escrow account scandal.

However, this statement attracted a rebuttal from the Attorney general, Mr George Masaju, who noted that according to the Constitution, the President has no powers to directly discipline the judges.

“According to article 113 of the Constitution, the President can take measures against judges.

Debating the reports earlier, Ms Asumpta Mshama (Nkenge – CCM), said it was unfortunate that the Finance minister has decided to divert funds meant for rural electrification and road improvement to other uses without first obtaining permission from the Parliament.

“In fact, in doing so the minister has violated the law because these funds are ring fenced. We enacted a law to make sure that monies meant for Rea and Road Fund are not used for other purposes. Where had the minister obtained permission to divert these funds?” she asked.

She also wondered how council executives have been reporting of paying ghost workers. “How can they pay workers who are not there?” she queried. Mr Godbless Lema (Arusha Urban – Chadema) likened Tanzania to a ghetto where people live without rules or regulations. “Looking at the way people have been stealing public money while those responsible with taking them to task failing to do so, Tanzania is no different from a ghetto where rogue youths may decide to eat food before it is served on the table,” he said. “If leaders were innovative, this country could earn a lot from the tourism sector alone. But, given the speed of misuse of the funds, even if we collect Sh1 trillion a month, we will not achieve anything,” he said. Ms Esther Bulaya (Special Seats – CCM) said in diverting the ring fenced money the Finance minister had not only violated the law but the Constitution as well. She cited Articles 135 and 136 of the Constitution which put in place conditions for management of money for special purposes noting that for this the minister does not deserve chance to resign but should be fired and charged immediately.