PUBLIC leaders will now access and submit wealth declaration forms online, the Public Leaders Ethics Secretariat has announced.

The Ethics Secretariat Commissioner, retired Judge Salome Kaganda, made the announcement yesterday in Dar es Salaam during the launching ceremony of the website.

Judge Kaganda also called upon public leaders to fill and submit the forms before December 31, this year.

"We will not have excuses for delaying to submit the forms on time," she said adding that legal action will be taken against those who will fail to comply with the government directive.

Public leaders are supposed to fill and submit wealth declaration forms within 30 days of commencing their duties and within the same period after leaving office. The leaders are also supposed to fill the forms once a year while in office.

According to Judge Kaganda, the lunched website will also help provide information on public ethics and roles of the Public Ethics Secretariat. "The aim of establishing this website is to speed up the provision of information on public ethics, enable the public understand the roles of Public Ethics Secretariat," she said.

Meanwhile, Judge Kaganda asked leaders to abstain from unethical behaviours so as to build trust in the public. She also asked the spouses of leaders to always warn leaders against unethical practices.

On the other hand Deputy Permanent Secretary at the State House Ms Susan Mlawi asked the Ethics Secretariat to ensure the website is up to date with right information.

Ms Mlawi, who officially launched the website, told the secretariat to ensure the information guides the public on good ethics. "The objective of this website is to speed up the provision of information to the public, let it be vital in guiding the public on good morals," she said and assured the secretariat full government support in the development of the website.