'Tanzania's development prospects may be dim if…'

BY THE GUARDIAN REPORTER

22nd April 2013

Kangi Lugora (Mwibara, CCM)

Legislators warned on Saturday that Tanzania’s projection to become a prosperous nation may not be attained, if the country will not amend the public code of ethics and revive the Arusha Declaration.

They said there is a growing trend of fear and misconduct by some the public figures in executing their duties based on lack of a strong ideology allowing Members of the Parliament to take the ‘wrongdoers’ accountable.

MPs were commenting on the state of public leaders’ ethics and the waning discipline among legislators during a technical seminar organised and facilitated by the Public Leaders’ Ethics Secretariat.

Kangi Lugora (Mwibara, CCM) said the government was using an outdated public code of ethics and therefore it has failed to regulate public leaders’ behaviours to meet the current demand.
Meanwhile, Lugora insisted that the laws should incorporate other personnel from the departments of prison, police and military instead of only involving senior government officials and lawmakers.

Additionally, the lawmaker said members of the public have opted to using informal ways to kick out dishonest leaders.

Ramo Makanyi (Tunduru-North, CCM) said he would see a great need to have the Arusha Declaration revived, insisting that the review of the leadership code of ethics should be accompanied by the changing public code of ethics.

“There is a need to prepare public leaders right from the tender age, and it can be done by invoking the Arusha Declaration,” he said, condemning the 1991 Zanzibar Declaration as a misrepresentation of the national ethos.

The legislator’s view was supported by Michael Lekule (Longido, CCM) who said there was serious misconduct by some MPs which needs to be immediately tamed.

According to Sylivester Mabumba (Dole, CCM), the Zanzibar Declaration needs to be abolished and be replaced with a modified a Arusha Declaration in the quest to curb corruption exercised by public leaders.

Other MPs who stood for the debate included Ali Mohamed Keissy (Nkasi-North, CCM), Felix Mkosamali (Muhambwe, NCCR-Mageuzi), Moses Machali (Kasulu-Urban, NCCR-Mageuzi) and Victor Kawawa.
Earlier, presenting a topic on ‘Leaders’ Ethics and Good Governance in Public Sectors’, Uongozi Institute chief executive officer Prof Joseph Semboja said the government needs to be careful on matters that are likely to distort the image of the country.

Citing technological development and the inversion of ring-back collar tunes, he said, it has fueled the spirit of religious differences.

“Just when you call someone, I am sure you get to know who you will be talking to, whether a Christian or Muslim, this is very dangerous and leaders have been dragged into this syndicate unknowingly,” he stated.

Last week, Commissioner of the Public Leaders’ Ethics Secretariat Judge (rtd) Salome Kaganda faulted the exigent budget the allocated to the secretariat saying it was failing to undertake various activities including assessing leaders as directed by the law. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN