The government has directed all its civil servants to sign ‘integrity pledge’ by the end of this month.
The move is aimed at combating corruption and cultivate culture of ethical conduct amongst public officials.
Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office (Public Service Management), Hab Mkwizu directed all personnel departments in the public service to submit the signed forms to the Chief Secretary, Ombeni Sefue’s office by February next year.
The directive came at the end of ‘Pledge Week’ for public servants which commenced on December 1 and ended yesterday.
The integrity pledge for public leaders, public servants and private sector is a formal and concrete expression of commitment to abide by ethical practices and to support a national campaign on ethics and war against corruption.
Mkwizu said the guidelines for the implementation of the pledge are contained in the circular issued by the head of public service number 2 of 2015 that was publicised in August.The document allows a company or public office holders to make a commitment to uphold the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Principles for Corporations and Public Service Institutions in Tanzania.
While government bodies will oversee the signing of pledges for public and civil servants, the same exercise for private sector will be presided over by the Business Registrations and Licencing Agency (Brela)
By signing the pledge, a company, public leader and public servant are making a unilateral declaration that they will, among other things, abide by principles of integrity, accountability, transparency, professionalism in conducting business and public duties; adhere to the provisions of the Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act, Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act, Public Procurement Act, Public Service Act, Code of Ethics and Conduct for Public Service and Professional Code of Ethics; be patriotic and loyal to the Government of United Republic of Tanzania; and protect the environment and public properties. “Stern disciplinary measures will be taken against those who will be found to have gone against their own pledges,” Mkwizu said and added:
“We will monitor and evaluate the conduct of each and every servant in the public service and those whose conducts will amount to a criminal case will be taken to court.”
In August, retired President Jakaya Kikwete signed three integrity pledges in Dar es Salaam at a ceremony held at the State House conference hall.
“It is a vital measure to ensure Tanzania is free from corruption, this is to show we are serious in curbing corruption in the country and at the same time have zero corruption from grassroots to national level,” he said.
Kikwete also applauded the involvement of private sector in fighting against corruption, saying that their participation will help the nation to reduce this challenge because this practice does not take place in the public sector only.
Chairperson of the CEO Roundtable, Ali Mfuruki said that Tanzania had been slipping down Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index, and now ranks 119th out of 175 countries.
He said that evidence of official corruption has been mounting, raising fears amongst foreign investors which he said was not good news for a country which had ranked 159th out of 187 in the human development index.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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