Now ball in JK’s court

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda (right) listens to Official Opposition in Parliament leader Freeman Mbowe in Dodoma yesterday. Left is Minister of State in PMO (Policy Coordination and National Assembly) William Lukuvi. PHOTO | EMMANUEL HERMAN 

In Summary

He noted that had Mr Pinda been serious and closely followed what was going on in the government, the country would not have been plunged into the escrow scandal.

Dar and Dodoma. The ball is now in President Jakaya Kikwete’s court over the Tegeta Escrow Account’s scandal.

Parliament has finally asked him to discipline his four top officials.

They are Energy and Minerals minister Sospeter Muhongo, his permanent secretary Eliachim Maswi, and Attorney General Frederick Werema. Also to be disciplined is minister Anna Tibaijuka of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development.

Prof Tibaijuka has also been named among people who received money illegally withdrawn from the Tegeta Escrow Account.

But the list of those who should be disciplined included other officials from the Judiciary and Parliament. From the Judiciary, Parliament has asked President Kikwete to form an inquiry team to investigate judges Aloycius Mujulizi and John Ruhangisa whose names appeared on the list of people who received money from James Rugemalira, the owner of VIP Engineering.
Rugemalira paid many people after receiving $75 million from Pan African Power Solution (PAP) being payment of its 30 per cent shares in the Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL).

Parliament was also asked to take measures against Andrew Chenge, the chairman of Parliament Budget Committee, Victor Mwambalaswa, the Energy Committee chairman as well as chairman for Constitution, Legal Affairs and Governance Committee, William Ngeleja, whose names also appeared on the list of those who were paid by Rugemalira. MPs spent the whole of yesterday behind closed doors making consultations. The new resolutions were presented in Parliament by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Zitto Kabwe, who said they were agreed upon by a committee comprising representatives from various groups.

In the far-reaching resolutions, Parliament called for actions to be taken against people from the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature who were implicated in the scam.

Parliament also asked President Kikwete to dissolve the board of directors of the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) as it failed to advise the government on the matter, subjecting the country to a huge loss.

Parliament resolutions affirmed that investigations proved that PAP did not follow procedures in acquiring IPTL) shares. The House advised the government to find ways of retaking the IPTL plants and handing them over to Tanesco.

The government has also been tasked by Parliament to initiate a review of all power purchase agreements which Tanesco had entered into with independent power producers.

Parliament said that should be effected immediately and progress report should be tabled before the end of next Budget meeting.

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