Zanzibar — SPEAKER of the Zanzibar House of Representatives Mr Pandu Ameir Kificho opted to postpone the debate on the 2013/2014 budget proposal for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Communications after several backbenchers demanded cancellation of the 20bn/- ministry's budget estimates allegedly due to massive fraud in the ministry.

The furious backbenchers rose in turns and expressed disappointment on the ministry, arguing that it was inappropriate to allocate funds for the ministry surrounded with dubious deals.

After a heated debate that allowed almost every legislator attacking the ministry, Mr Ismail Jussa Landu (CUF-Mjimkogwe) hammered the last nail on the ministry as he asked the Speaker to allow the house to reject the budget.

"Hon Speaker, I think we should not even waste our time seating as a House expenses committee to approve allocations. Let us close-up the debate by raising-up our hands to reject the whole budget because the fraud in the ministry is high," Jussa said.

Postponing the debate on the Infrastructure and Communications ministry, the speaker directed the Ministry and the government to consider and find answers to the backbenchers concerns.

Earlier, most of legislators blamed the government for 'keeping mum on serious matters in the ministry, citing airport (expansion project), Zanzibar Maritime Authority (particularly the registration of ships) and roads construction as the worst departments alleged of multiple dubious deals.