Pundits: JK fell short of expectation

“ The Parliament did its work, and the government which we all were waiting for its actions has decided that way. I’m leaving this matter to wananchi, they will make their own judgment,” Mr Zitto Kabwe, MP for Kigoma North and Chairman, Parliamentary Accounts Committee 

By Athuman Mtulya,The Citizen Reporter

In Summary

• PAC chair Zitto says after listening to the President, all he had to say was that the resolutions were not made by PAC, Controller and Auditor General (CAG) but Parliament as whole, and which comprises of MPs

Dar es Salaam. The speech by President Jakaya Kikwete has been welcomed by mixed feelings, with majority of political pundits and opposition politicians concluding that he failed short of taking expected action against all the culprits of Tegeta Escrow account Scandal.

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chair Mr Zitto Kabwe appeared resigned in his reaction, only saying that Tanzanians will decide what to make of the outcome on their own.

He said after listening to the President, all he had to say was that the resolutions were not made by PAC, Controller and Auditor General (CAG) but Parliament as whole, and which comprises of MPs from the President’s party, CCM.

“As Parliament we passed the resolutions by consensus, patriotism and avoiding being unfair to anyone. The Parliament did its work, and the government which we all were waiting for its actions has decided that way. I’m leaving this matter to wananchi, they will make their own judgment,” he said.

Prof Sospeter Muhongo who was given a lifeline declined to give his comment quipping: “You have listened to what the President said, report what what he said, please, please.”

Mr January Makamba, the deputy minister for Communication, Science and Technology, said he was with the speech, saying the listening crowd had clearly shown where their heart was.

Mr Makamba said while President Kikwete gave answers to some recommendations by the Parliament, he was optimistic others would come pending investigations and other procedures.

The Executive Director of Tanzania Legal and Human Rights Centre Dr Hellen Kijo-Bisimba said President Kikwete failed to take a bold decision on the scandal and in turn acted “like an advocate of Pan African Power Solution (PAP).”

She said President Kikwete cleared PAP of IPTL take over and its acquisition of escrow monies contrary to the Parliament’s resolutions.

According to Ms Bisimba, the president towards the end tried to please the parliament but he failed to axe energy Minister Prof Sospeter Muhongo and the Ministry’s Principal Secretary Mr Eliakim Maswi.

“They were supposed to be removed from their position first and continued to be investigated…generally our President was not talking in a tone suggesting that he is irked by corruption tendencies, and that is a disaster,” she said.

The leader of opposition camp and chairperson of opposition party Chadema Mr Freeman Mbowe said by failing to sack the architects of the scandal the President showed the country that he is part of the wider corruption problem.

Mr Mbowe further said that with his speech President Kikwete has offended himself  himself, the Parliament, his party CCM and Tanzanians.

“Prof Anna Tibaijuka was but a branch of the scandal, so she was used as a scape goat and sacked, the roots which orchestrated the whole thing are Prof Muhongo and Mr Maswi and they are yet to be touched,” he said.

Political Science don from Ruaha University College Prof Gaudence Mpangala said despite giving a clear narration of the history of disputes between Tanesco and IPTL the President did not arrive at decisions that were awaited by many in the country.

“By saying that the escrow monies belong to IPTL, the President blew the whole thing away and that is very wrong. I side with PAC, CAG and the Parliament to believe that money was ours…If they belong to IPTL why bother investigating it?” he said.

He said he disagree with the President that if the country is to nationalize IPTL power plant as the Parliament recommended, foreign investors will skip doing business with the country.

“He was wrong to relate that with Arusha declaration, during those days that was a national policy, but on IPTL it is a specific case, even capitalist countries take the same actions on fraudulent companies,” he said.

Prof Mpangala said he is confident that if the government was to privatize IPTL plants foreign powers who are currently withholding funds aimed at budget support would be happy, “it is only unfaithful investors, those with mindset equivalent to IPTL would be freaked out.”

Kigoma South Parliamentarian Mr David Kafulila was the one who first brought the scandal in the parliament and he could not hide his dissapoitment at President Kikwete’s speech. “He clearly did not do what he was supposed to do, why is he struggling to take actions on people that he himself appointed to their positions?” he asked.

According to lecturer at University of Dar es Salaam, Prof Kitila Mkumbo President Kikwete yesterday admitted without being specific that he and his government was wrong about the whole scandal.

“By looking at the behavior of African statesmen the President yesterday did something out of the usual, and that is accepting that he did wrong… and yes not taking actions at the end of the day is a bad thing,” he said