Lawmakers in Tanzania’s parliament passed a resolution on Saturday calling on President Jakaya Kikwete to sack a number of his cabinet ministers who have been implicated in the embezzlement of $122 million in public funds.
Lawmakers in Tanzania’s parliament passed a resolution on Saturday calling on President Jakaya Kikwete to sack a number of his cabinet ministers who have been implicated in the embezzlement of $122 million in public funds.
Reuters reported that Tanzania’s attorney general, energy minister, housing and settlement development minister, energy permanent secretary and at least two parliamentarians are among political figures, who have been linked to the disappearance of $122 million, which was illegally transferred as payments to a private energy firm, Pan Africa Power. All of the implicated politicians have denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, has also come under attack for his lack of oversight in the financial scandal and is struggling to maintain public confidence after initially fighting moves by the opposition to launch the parliamentary vote on the corruption allegations.
Last month Tanzania, which is heavily dependent on international aid, was denied transfer of about $490 million by international donors who insisted that the country must undertake proper investigations and publish findings before certain aid flows will resume.
Deo Filikunjombe, vice chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has declared that the government must act in accordance with Saturday’s parliamentary vote and sanction the politicians linked with the missing monies.
“For the government, we have categorically stated that the president [should] remove the Minister of Energy and Minerals, the Attorney General, the Permanent Secretary at of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the Minister of Lands, Professor [Anna] Tibaijuka, who confessed [to] having received $1 million as proceeds of the money,” said Filikunjombe.
“We found two MPs [or] Members of Parliament who are also chairs of committees have received this money. So what we have recommended to the parliament [is that] they get removed from their positions as chairs and other disciplinary actions be taken against them,” Filikunjombe added.