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Mkapa should be investigated-opposition
2008-02-09 09:07:15
By Angel Navuri, Dodoma
The ppposition alliance has named former president Benjamin Mkapa among people lined up for in-depth investigations following allegations that he is among shareholders of a firm that acquired the formerly state-owned Kiwira Coal Mine while he was President.
Addressing a press conference in Dodoma yesterday, the Assistant Opposition spokesperson, Dr. Wilbrod Slaa, (Chadema) flanked by Hamad Rashid Mohamed, (CUF), who is also the opposition spokesperson in the House, said Mkapa had shown no sympathy for poor Tanzanians by grabbing resources that could benefit the majority.
``Official BRELLA registration documents indicate that Benjamin William Mkapa, an entrepreneur using Box 15 Lithuli Street (meaning the State House) is the property owner of Tan-Power Resources Company Ltd that has denied thousands of Tanzanians the right to own shares in the country`s wealth. He has tainted his own credibility and should be held responsible for his misdeeds,`` said Dr Slaa.
He said the wananchi should not be carried away by celebrating the unfolding situation that includes the resignation of former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa and dissolution of the entire cabinet as the more serious task still lay ahead.
``Our ambition is to make sure that all looted resources are returned and the wananchi relieved of the burden currently on their shoulders. You all remember when Lowassa told us that the national economy was in top gear. Now it appears that the good economic situation was in his pocket and that of his colleagues,`` explained Dr Slaa.
He gave as an example the unclear terms of agreement that resulted into the milking-dry of Tanesco, which is currently obliged to pay 244bln/- annually to power companies such as IPTL, Agrekko, Austrum, Songas and Richmond, contracts which he said should be reviewed with immediate effect.
He alleged that 87 foreign fishing boats were currently over-exploiting the country`s resources in national waters, yet the government had opted to remain silent for reasons better known to some government officials.
Dr Slaa recalled the time the opposition members were warned in Parliament not to refer to the national economy as being threatened, ``But with no doubt the findings of a select committee under the chairmanship of Dr Harison Mwakyembe on Richmond Development Company LLC have proved that corruption allegations made by the opposition against some government officials were genuine,` he said.
`We do not hate anyone or celebrate the downfall of certain individuals. Our concern is people`s development and fighting corruption so as to make sure that all those implicated in embezzlement of public funds, including permanent secretaries like Grey Mgonja (Treasury), are brought to justice,` Dr Slaa said.
With regard to the taskforce assigned by President Jakaya Kikwete to seek legal measures against those implicated in BoT External Payment Arrears, EPA, scam, the opposition alliance declared it had no faith in the team.
EPA probe team drew members from the Police force, office of the Attorney General and that of the Prevention and Combat of Corruption Bureau, PCCB.
However, both opposition and CCM MPs who contributed to the Richmond debate in the House had questioned the integrity of both the PCCB and the AG, who did nothing to stop the signing of the dubious contract signed between TANESCO and Richmond, a briefcase firm with no track record, while the PCCB was accused of whitewashing the deal and terming it as corruption free.
``We would like to caution President Kikwete not to pick a wrong candidate as Prime Minister because we will not hesitate to raise our concern if we are not satisfied with the choice. He must be a person who was not included in the list of shame that we announced at Mwembe Yanga grounds in Dar es Salaam,`` he said.
Later, Parliament endorsed the appointment of Mizengo Pinda as the country's new Prime Minister. Pinda has not been implicated in any major corruption scandal.
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