Arusha — Cabinet minister Margaret Sitta yesterday said that her arrest by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) in Tabora over corruption allegations was a politically motivated ploy to tarnish her name.

She was speaking a day after the widely reported incident in which she and nine other aspirants for Chama Chama Mapinduzi (CCM) Special Seats nominations were ambushed by PCCB officers, who questioned them for allegedly trying to bribe voters.

Mrs Sitta, who holds Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children portfolio, told The Citizen by telephone from Tabora that the PCCB officials pounced on her while she was sitting in her ministerial car going about her business. She denied any involvement in corrupt dealings.

The PCCB appeared to have stepped up its campaign against high profile personalities for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices during the ongoing CCM primaries. Also to find himself on the wrong end of the PCCB on Wednesday night, was the outgoing Arusha Urban MP, Mr Felix Mrema, who was arrested in the town.

The PCCB commander in Arusha Region, Mr Ayoub Akida, said the MP was among 19 CCM members arrested over allegations of trying to corrupt voters. Yesterday in Tabora, Mrs Sitta expressed her displeasure at the way the PCCB was going about the corruption allegations.

"This is not the right way for the PCCB to conduct its operations. The way they apprehended me was quite unfair because I was in my car with my driver, a teacher, my grandchildren and a publicity secretary of CCM in Tabora. So, whom did I bribe?" Mrs Sitta asked.

She added: "I was not giving anyone money when PCCB officials swarmed all over my car and ordered me to surrender everything. I was not even holding any money." The minister saw the hand of her political rivals in what she was a deliberate attempt to soil her reputation. "The PCCB had responded to a false alarm from those who want me out of my position."

Mrs Sitta is among 10 people who are vying for the Special Seats in Tabora Region. The soft-spoken minister said that after being held in custody briefly, the PCCB officials drove her private car to their regional headquarters. On claims that she had been found with many mobile phones, she admitted having the handsets in her car but denied that she intended to give them out to corrupt voters.

"Who was caught receiving a phone from me? I don't understand the aim of the anti-corruption agency in this saga," Mrs Sitta said.

On Wednesday, the Tabora regional PCCB deputy commander, Mr Bruno Rwenyagira, told reporters that Mrs Sitta and nine other Umoja wa Wanawake wa Tanzania (UWT) members were arrested on Monday night over corruption allegations. Some of other people questioned alongside Mrs Sitta were identified as Ms Lucy Samuel Simwanza, Ms Zabeth Kondolo, Ms Catherine Sepetu, Ms Mary Joseph, Mr Cosmas Urio and Mr Rashid Ramadhan Abdallah.

He said that upon inspection, the suspects were found with seven brand new Nokia 1616 mobile phones in their handbags, empty envelopes and Sh1, 015,000 in cash. In Arusha, Mr Mrema became the latest prominent victim in a string of "bribe scandals", which have rocked ruling party since the countrywide nominations began.

Mr Akida said the MP was among the 19 CCM members arrested on Wednesday at around 10:20pm at a house in the Olmurwaki area of Sombetini ward in Arusha. The suspects, according to the PCCB regional chief, included the CCM chairman for Olmurwaki, Mr Shamsi Mwacha, who was allegedly found in possession of a bunch of envelops with Sh115,000 each.

Mr Akida said Mr Mwacha was also caught with 25 stamped CCM membership cards, most of which bore no pictures. Others apprehended include seven 10-cell leaders, who, on being interrogated, claimed they had gone to visit a sick person. The PCCB boss gave their names as Mr Paul Mollel, Mr Jacob Mweta, Mama Sara, Mr Boniface Cyprian, Mr Abdalla Gege, Mr Elly Kileo, Mr Julius Yohana, Mr Bakari Issa, Mr Abdalla Juma, Ms Monica Mzota, Mr Shaibu Hassan Waziri, Mr Peter Ongiri and Mr Odumba Hassan.

Others were Mr Julius Yohana Laizer , Mr Alex Kisyoki, Ms Zuhura Hussein and Mr Waziri Kigugio. "We interrogated the outgoing MP the whole night until this (yesterday) morning," the PCCB boss said, adding that Mr Mrema had been released on bail as investigations were going on. In a separate development, the PCCB is also holding two Sokoni One residents, who were allegedly found in illegal possession of voters' registration papers belonging to the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

Mr Akida declined to disclose their identities, saying that could undermine the ongoing investigations. He, however, implored the public to furnish the corruption watchdog with any information to help fight graft. Recently, President Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the national CCM chairman, warned party's members against seeking leadership positions by corrupt means, especially during the nominations for the October 31 General Election.

"By getting leadership through corruption, we tarnish the image of our party," Mr Kikwete said during the CCM General Congress in Dodoma.