The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Rodgers Luhwago
1 July 2008
Dodoma — The Meremeta and Tangold controversy resurfaced in Parliament yesterday.
Legislators from opposition parties took issue with remarks by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda last week that the two projects were used to fund defence and national security matters.
They said defence and security matters should not be used smokescreen to hide corrupt deals masterminded by top government officials during the third phase Government.
The legislators also urged the Government to come clean on the death of former Bank of Tanzania governor Daudi Ballali in Washington in May.
Contributing to the 2008/2009 speech budget tabled by Minister of State in the President's Office (Public Service Management), Ms Hawa Ghasia, Mr Kabwe Zuberi Zitto (Kigoma North-Chadema), said it was not true that the Meremeta deal was linked to the national security.
"Honourable chairman, issues surrounding Meremeta and other companies that later succeeded its activities had nothing to do with the security of the state as Premier Pinda claimed last week when winding up deliberations for his budget," he said.
He added: "The Government must come clean on this matter.
We need to be told in this House about what happened.
If it is not possible for this subject to be brought into this parliamentary debating chamber then it can be taken to the parliamentary standing committee for Foreign Affairs and National Security."
To back his allegations, Mr Zitto said the task force formed by President Jakaya Kikwete to investigate problems facing the mining sector, led by Judge Mark Bomani, also discussed the subject and forwarded its recommendations to the government.
"I cannot reveal now what was discussed and proposed to the government as far as Meremeta issues are concerned.
But findings revealed that Meremeta and Tangold were used by certain individuals to steal public funds.
It has nothing to do with the security of the state", he said.
When quizzed by MPs last week on the same subject, Prime Minister Pinda said he was 'hand-tied' on the matter because Meremeta deals were in the hands of Tanzania People's Defence Forces(TPDF).
Mr Zitto also challenged the Government to review laws governing operations of the Tanzania Intelligence Services (TIS).
He said in the modern word the department was also hand-tied in its activities.
He said had the laws governing the department been flexible scams surrounding the loss of funds from the central bank's External Payment Arrears (EPA) account and Richmond Development Company could have been avoided.
The opposition MP wanted the Government to investigate internal problems facing the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).
He said employees in that institution were divided into two groups.
"Honourable chairman, we are informed that the PCCB top management and the employees are now at loggerheads.
Information also shows that there is witch-hunting going on in the PCCB," said Mr Zitto.
On a similar note, the opposition camp said it would continue quizzing the government to explain about the death of former Bank of Tanzania( BoT) governor Daudi Ballali.
The MPs said there was no way the government could avoid clearing the controversy.
Shadow minister (Public Service Management) Grace Kiwelu said the refusal by the government to explain about the death of the former governor aimed at concealing scandalous issues in the central bank.
"Honourable Speaker, the opposition camp in general would like to be told about the place and hospital where the late Ballali was admitted.
"We also want to be told who met his medical bills considering that the late governor was still a Government employee by the time he was leaving the country", said Ms Kiwelu.
Linking PCCB performance with the scams haunting the government, the shadow minister wanted the government to explain why individuals involved in corrupt practices surrounding the purchase of the military radar from BAe system are not taken to court.
It is said a kickback of $12 million was paid to government officials and the middleman, she explained.
She blamed the government over the poor performance of the anti-corruption bureau, saying PCCB has always been sparing officials involved in grand corruption but spent resources combating petty corruption.
The opposition MPs also accused the government of not enforcing the code of ethics for public servants.
They said it was apparent that good governance was never practiced in the country.
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