Govt disowns Masele claims on UK envoy

By Beatrice Shayo

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UK High Commissioner to Tanzania Dianna Melrose

What appeared on Friday to be a last defense line for the Ministry of Energy and Minerals against the running scandal over the controversial acquisition of Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) is likely to spark a diplomatic row with Britain as some senior government officials say they were not informed about the matter.


 Energy and Minerals deputy minister Steven Masele accused the UK High Commissioner to Tanzania Dianna Melrose, without mentioning her name, of seeking to influence development partners to withhold aid to Tanzania in the wake of the dispute over the circumstances of acquisition of IPTL.

Making a ministerial contribution to discussion on the ministry’s estimates, Masele asked the high commissioner to review her position in the country, a statement that ordinarily affirms her having lost credibility as her country’s envoy to Tanzania.

The deputy minister went further to state that he had watertight evidence to prove his affirmations.

The UK envoy was earlier this month quoted by a local English daily as having said that development partners were concerned about the controversy surrounding the withdrawal of Sh200 billion from an Escrow account at the central bank.

Speaking over the phone to The Guardian’s sister paper  Nipashe yesterday,  Chief Secretary Ombeni Sefue said he was yet to receive a report linking the UK envoy with allegations of inciting development partners to cut aid deliveries.

“There has never been such a report, be it with the president or elsewhere in the State House,” he said, noting that he too wasn’t familiar with those accusations.

 “I am not informed about the matter. It should be noted that not every matter is brought to my attention. It would be better if you talk to officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” he said in advice.

However, Ambassador Sefue said that under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 diplomats are not allowed to interfere with the internal affairs of the host countries.

The Convention is an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. It specifies the privileges of a diplomatic mission that enable diplomats to perform their function without fear of coercion or harassment by the host country. This forms the legal basis for diplomatic immunity.

Should any matter that requires a foreign diplomat to intervene there are clear procedures stipulated, he said, while Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Michael Haule said his ministry was yet to receive the information as well. He affirmed to have heard the news from Dodoma just like others.

 “What we are doing now is waiting for official information with credible evidence with regard to Mr Masele’s claims for further government action,” he said, intimating that if the evidence is credible the ministry would seek audience with the UK envoy.

 Edward Lowassa, the chairman of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security said over the phone that the matter was still in the hands of the government. “It is government officials who are mandated to deal with all issues related to diplomats. Go and talk to government officials,” Lowassa retorted.

Thomas Kashililah, the Clerk to the National Assembly, simply said Parliament has no  evidence as yet to make a position on the charges leveled by the deputy minister.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY