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Slaa rekindles Mkapa abuse of office debate
2008-06-24 11:06:45
By Guardian Reporter
The Parliamentary opposition yesterday demanded detailed clarification over allegations of abuse of office facing retired president of the third-phase government, Benjamin Mkapa.
Presenting views on the budget of the Prime Minister`s office (Regional Administration and Local Governments) in the House in Dodoma, Karatu legislator Dr Wilbroad Slaa said they wanted a substantive report on actions to be taken against all those implicated in the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) external payment arrears (EPA) account and the Richmond emergency power generation scandals.
``The opposition believes that it wouldn`t be wise to debate the budget of the office of Prime Minister before the House is availed with detailed explanation on these serious allegations,`` stressed the Karatu legislator.
He said it was imperative that issues surrounding the allegations were thoroughly clarified because they touched feelings of many Tanzanians, who would like to be assured that the money their representatives endorsed “would be put to intended use.``
Dr Slaa told the House it was impossible to draw a line between a fiscal plan and its achievement; as accomplishment of the budget, financial discipline and the trustworthy of people vested with its implementation went hand in hand with the duty of overseeing execution of the budget.
He said Parliament had the duty of supervising government, including the President, dashing a misconception that the President, as a head of state, was above the law.
Dr Slaa wondered why the EPA audit report remained ``a secret`` six months after it had landed in the President`s Office.
Regarding Richmond Development scandal, he stressed that the opposition wanted action be taken against all culprits, not political statements, which has been the case since a special committee was formed to oversee implementation of Parliament resolutions.
Slaa also informed Parliament that the opposition demanded immediate removal of treasury permanent secretary Gray Mgonja for his involvement in the EPA scam.
He called for exhaustive investigations on Meremeta, Tangold and Mwananchi Gold Company Limited and Deep Green Finance Company Limited, which are linked to grand corruption scandals.
Dr Slaa said the opposition demanded detailed explanations on Tanpower Resources Ltd and ANBEM, believed to have been owned by former President Mkapa.
Other firms are Kagoda Agriculture Ltd, Textima Ltd, and Viati Veicoli Industriali of Italy, Valment of U.S.A, and Adriano Gardella S.P.A also of Italy.
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