More leaders submit forms as curtain closes today

ANNE ROBI

THE culture of doing things at the eleventh hour for majority of Tanzanians continued to manifest itself yesterday, as some public leaders continued to exploit the weekend opportunity to submit their assets and liabilities declaration forms to the Public Leaders Ethics Secretariat offices.

December 31st (today) is the last day pronounced by the law for all public leaders to submit their forms to the Ethics Secretariat offices. Despite the date this year falling on Sunday, which is a day of rest and religious worship, all offices will remain open to allow last-minute responders to submit their documents, it has been stated.

Commissioner of the Ethics Secretariat, Judge (rtd) Harold Nsekela (pictured) briefly spoke to the media yesterday, insisting that their offices in all zones will remain open to avoid creating an environment for those who will opt to defy the order to come up with excuses.

President John Magufuli submitted his forms on Thursday while Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa completed the exercise on Friday. The two top government leaders implored other leaders to meet the legal and compulsory requirement.

“We have ordered all our offices in all zones to remain open even on Sunday, which is a day of rest and religious worship, because some politicians may come up with unnecessary excuses. In short, we want to avoid frictions with politicians,” he said.

Judge Nsekela said their decision to open the Ethics Secretariat’s offices in all zones on Sunday (today) stemmed from the fact that the law gives right to leaders to submit their forms on December 31st, regardless whether the date falls on a rest day.

Earlier on, it was stated that Saturday (yesterday) would be the last day for submitting the forms. He said the Ethics Secretariat’s officers will start going through the forms on Tuesday. However, he could not divulge the figure with regard to the total number of leaders who had submitted the forms by yesterday.

“It is impossible to quickly establish the number of public leaders who have submitted their forms, given the fact that the exercise has been going on in all zonal offices,” he said. However, he said the turn up on Friday was good.

The SUNDAY NEWS Reporter who camped yesterday at the Ethics Secretariat’s head office in Dar es Salaam witnessed some public leaders submitting their forms. Failure to submit the forms may lead to disciplinary measures, including severe reprimand, demotion, suspension, summary dismissal, prosecution or any other measures deemed fit by the appointing authorities.

On Thursday, President John Magufuli directed Public Leaders Ethics Secretariat to stop receiving public leaders’ wealth declaration forms in accordance with the law by 31st December, this year. “When 31st December 2017 falls due, which is the last day for submitting the forms, draw the line and do not receive any forms, then see how the law will work,” Dr Magufuli was quoted as directing Judge Nsekela.

The Ethics Secretariat is an independent department under the President’s Office entrusted with powers to administer the ethical conduct of all public leaders. It was established under Article 132 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977.

Its mandate is to implement the Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act, No. 13 of 1995 as amended by the Act No. 5 of 2001.