Head of Communications in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, East African, Regional and International
Cooperation, Ms Mindi Kasiga, clarified in Dar es Salaam that the envoys
who were recalled back early this year include Dr Batilda Burian, who
was Tanzania Ambassador to Japan.
Others are Dr James Msekela, Ambassador to Italy and Mr Peter Kallaghe, who was High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.
Ms Kasiga told the ‘Daily News’ that
ambassadors Msekela and Kallaghe are already in the country, except for
Ambassador Burian, who is also expected to return anytime from now.
President Magufuli had ordered the three ambassadors to hand over their
duties and return home immediately.
A statement from the former Chief
Secretary, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, noted that contracts of service for
ambassadors Burian and Msekela had expired.
The president had also ordered the High
Commissioner in the United Kingdom, to return home and report to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, East African, Regional and International
Cooperation, where he would be assigned other duties.
Ms Mindi explained that other envoys and
employees in foreign missions whose contracts of four years have
expired are being brought back home depending on availability of money.
However they all have been notified through official letters.
She added that due to tight budget of
the ministry, it has to prioritise its many responsibilities, including
paying membership fees for the country for the African Union (AU) and
others.
"We have a lot of responsibilities,
including that of bringing home envoys and officials whose four-year
contract have expired, but we also have to prioritise according to what
we get," she explained, adding that the ministry is still looking for
ways to address the issue.
Ms Mindi noted that whenever there is
money available, the officials would be brought back home in batches,
adding that this has been taking place since January this year.
Last month, the Parliamentary Committee
on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence was told that the government
needed more than 30bn/- to bring back its envoys and employees in
foreign embassies whose contracts have expired.
“This amount of money is too huge and is
not in the ministry’s budget,” Deputy Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, East African, Regional and International
Cooperation, Ambassador Ramadhan Mwinyi, told the parliamentary
committee.
Mr Mwinyi said the 30bn/- is needed to
bring back all envoys and employees whose contracts have expired after
their usual four-year tour of duty in the foreign missions
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