PM warns against public funds mishandling

DAILY NEWS Reporter

Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa

THE Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, has issued a warning to public leaders opting to mishandle funds allocated by the government for development projects, stressing those who will be implicated will live to regret it.

“These funds are pure fire. Do not tamper with the money released to service the public in councils ... it will burn you,” Mr Majaliwa said; adding; “We allocate the money for the purpose and we want that purpose to be fulfilled.”

The Premier issued the warning yesterday during a public rally held at Azimio grounds in Mpanda District. Mr Majaliwa said the government has already started releasing funds for various development projects in the councils and, therefore, it is of paramount importance that leaders must ensure that the money is spent as planned.

He said it’s not a matter of choice to district commissioners and executive directors who are to ensure all the standards of the project under implementation are meant with regard to value for money.

On other developments, the prime minister directed the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, to work on the expansion plan for Mpanda District Hospital, which is servicing the entire Katavi Region.

The facility, constructed as a dispensary in 1957 but now providing health services for the whole region, is now overwhelmed.

Mr Majaliwa ordered the minister and the Regional Commissioner, Major General (Retired) Raphael Muhuga, to speed up the construction of the regional hospital.

Mr Majaliwa further called on the districts in the region to set up district hospitals to decongest and bring services closer to the people. “Medical specialists at the Mpanda Referral Hospital cannot cover the growing demand for health services.

Health experts at the municipal should meanwhile work together with those at the hospital to improve service delivery,” he suggested. The hospital had in the past the custodianship of the Mpanda District Council.

The hospital’s ownership was recently transferred to Mpanda Municipal council. Reports released at the rally said the region had allocated 1.7 billion/- to construct the regional hospital.