JK's VERDICT: Mood swings in Jubilee hall crowd

Some elsders who attended President Kikwete’s address to the nation yesterday cheer him on.  PHOTO| SHAO 

In Summary

• Borrowing a leaf from former President Julius Nyerere, Mr Kikwete spoke in front of a group of  elders to pass long awaited verdict on the escrow scandal

Dar es Salaam. President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday addressed the Tegeta Escrow account scandal in a televised speech to the nation.

Borrowing a leaf from former President Julius Nyerere, Mr Kikwete spoke in front of a group of  elders.

The atmosphere was tense, the mood somber, as hundreds of Dar es Salaam residents sat attentively, but impatiently to hear the “verdict” by the Head of State on the escrow account scandal, which has been arguably one of the biggest topics dominating public conversation since the death of former Prime Minister Edward Moringe Sokoine on April 12, 1984.

President Kikwete did not waste time as he delved straight into the escrow account scandal. He reviewed the arguments, which were supposed to have been closed by Parliament, over whether the money belonged to the public.

He reviewed the history of the escrow account, revisiting all the details which have been exhaustively discussed both inside and outside Parliament. His conclusion. The money in the escrow account did not belong to the government. It belonged to IPTL.

During the two-hour address the audience was tense and impatient. No clapping. No cheers. No laughs, save for andom mumbling.

Towards the end the audience became livelier, jolted by the words “…after that long introduction, let me now go to the Parliamentary resolutions.” It proved to be an anti-climax, however as he chose to build suspense.  But in a tense crowd like yesterday’s, it was a wrong move because the audience started becoming visibly restless, with some occasional shouts. Some people started rising.

When he said “… as regards to Prof [Sospeter] Muhongo we must take time to investigate further…” there were some unsettling murmurs, which were quickly replaced by clapping of hands.

A large number the people in the audience had adorned attire that reflected the green and yellow CCM colours.