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Mengi: Law on leaders` conduct deficient
2008-05-05 09:25:12
By Guardian Reporter
The Chairman of the Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), Reginald Mengi, has advised the government to make the legislation on the conduct of leaders in the public service more efficient in learning about their property.
In remarks at a function in Dar es Salaam on Saturday to mark World Press Freedom Day, he said the legislation as it currently stands is of little use and relevance because it stipulates that information on leaders` property is confidential and publishing it in the media is illegal.
``The law in effect states that only the leaders declaring their purported property and the Secretariat of Commission on public leaders` ethics are legally allowed to be privy to the property declared. This denies the people the right to know the facts about the status of the leaders` wealth, including ill-gotten property,`` noted Mengi, who is also IPP Executive Chairman.
``It is of fundamental importance for the people to have easy access to such information so that they can contribute more meaningfully to the war on corruption championed by President Jakaya Kikwete,`` he pointed out.
He added: ``If this is not done, the listing of the property of public leaders and officials will be irrelevant because the objectives for which the law was enacted will not be achieved.``
On the importance of openness in government and public institutions’ tenders, the MOAT Chairman said it was surprising that they were advertised in the media, but the winners of those tenders were never made public.
He said this led to the suspicion that the winners of those tenders were a few schemers using companies registered in the names of their children and relatives or even house helps to vie for and win the tenders through manipulation.
``What is surprising is that those registered as the company owners do not turn up at the opening of the tenders, sending representatives instead,`` he said.
He explained that it would be prudent that those applying for tenders are recognised by their names and faces before being awarded, so as to expose those manipulating the process.
This would help in the fight against acts of corruption in tendering.
Meanwhile, Mengi also said media owners and journalists in Tanzania would continue to hold retired President Alhaj Ali Hassan Mwinyi in high esteem for his having spearheaded freedom of the press in the country.
President Kikwete would also be held in high esteem for respecting the media and encouraging them for the positive work they were doing for the country, he noted.
Media Council of Tanzania representative Pili Mtambalike praised the Tanzanian media for writing investigative stories about acts of corruption involving senior government officials.
She said that had proved that a free press can help expose corrupt leaders lacking ethics.
Ayoub Rioba, Chairman of the Tanzania Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-TAN), stated that freedom of the press had grown under President Kikwete but journalists still faced major challenges when actually carrying out their work.
He said many of those writing investigative stories on corruption had received threats and some had been physically harmed.
Rioba cited the case of the MwanaHalisi Editor Saed Kubenea and consulting editor Ndimara Tegambwage, who were recently assaulted in their office.
He appealed to journalists to continue writing without fear, saying surrendering or retreating was one of the most disgraceful things a professional journalist could do.
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