Finance and Planning minister Philip Mpango speaks at a past event. PHOTO|FILE
Dar es Salaam. If you thought Dr Philip Mpango’s humbleness translates into a weak leader, you are far
off the mark. History will judge Tanza-nia’s new Vice President as a humble and media-shy, but a firm individual who cannot be easily swayed when it comes to defending what he believes to be right.During the past five years that he served as Finance min- ister, Dr Mpango has seen it all, but he stood firm in defence of what be believed was in the public interest.
‘You either pay tax or I resign’
Those who pay little attention to how Dr Mpango had always been firm in defending the government’s development plans in Parliament will recall how in August 2018 he became the only Cabinet minister to have openly castigated the then powerful Dar es Salaam regional commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda.
That was during the time of the late former President John Magufuli when Mr Makonda was considered untouchable.
Until that time, memories of how costly it could have been to lock horns with Mr Makonda were still vivid among Cabinet ministers and other Tanzanians.
The point in focus then was how Dr Magufuli fired the then Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Mr Nape Nnauye, over an alleged night raid on the Clouds Media station in Dar es Salaam.
Mr Nnauye was sacked just days after he ordered an investigation into allegations that Mr Makonda had overstepped his mandate by entering the facility at night with armed security men in tow.
Against that background however, Dr Mpango, stuck to his guns when it was his turn to confront Mr Makonda. The bone of contention between the two presidential appointees started with a public notice which Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) issued in May 2018 regarding goods that had overstayed at Dar es Salaam Port without the rel- evant taxes being paid.
The taxman listed Mr Makonda’s shipping containers as among items that would be auctioned.
But that did not go down well with the former RC, who vented his anger at TRA, and warned that anyone who purchased the goods would be “cursed by God”.
But Dr Mpango said Mr Makonda’s remarks were “unfortunate”, and insisted that the overstayed furniture would be auctioned to recover unpaid taxes in accordance with the country’s tax laws.
“It is not right whatsoever to interfere with legal procedure. I would like to urge fellow leaders to observe the law and not overstep the boundaries of their authority….Our country must continue to be guided by the rule of law. The government’s instruction is that this furniture must be auctioned,” Dr Mpango said.
He roundly criticised Mr Makonda for trying to get a shipment of 20 containers of furniture cleared at Dar es Salaam Port paying about Sh1.2 billion in taxes.
“I took an oath to enforce tax laws, and I will not waver … on this. I’m ready to inform the President that ‘that’s it’. It’s enough. We will not victimise anyone nor will we fear anyone when it comes to enforcement of tax laws... we must uphold our laws ...we can’t play around with taxes,” he said after inspecting the containers.
Mr Makonda’s claims were that he received the furniture as a donation from Tanzanians living in the United States as part of his efforts to build modern offices for teachers in Dar es Salaam’s public schools.
Dr Mpango finally won President Magufuli’s support when the former head of state said while in Chato that Mr Makonda should pay the tax.
“There is this issue of the Dar es Salaam regional commissioner who has imported containers, and there is the contentious issue of taxes. Who is he that he can’t pay taxes?” he queried as he addressed councillors in his home council of Chato, Geita Region, in August 2018.
Taxing petroleum In June of that year (2018), Dr Mpango found himself facing a number of other challenges, but this time it was with MPs.
It emerged that it was probably only Dr Mpango and some few politicians-turned-technocrats who were aware that the government was already collecting up to 35 percent of what consumers pay for a litre of petroleum products.
Debating the Sh32.5 trillion budget for the financial year 2018/19, MPs unanimously agreed that it was about time the government added another Sh50 tax on every litre of petroleum products and channel it to the ring-fenced Water Development Fund.
But Dr Mpango stood firm and trashed the idea, saying accepting it would have had a devastating impact on eco- nomic stability plans.
“The government under- stands the water challenges facing the country….we ana- lysed the proposal and realised that this is not the right time to do so due to rising global prices of petroleum products….. Doing so would have dire con- sequences on microeconomic stability and result in second round effects,” said Dr Mpango.
The sector, Dr Mpango said, was also heavily taxed already, with a total of up to 19 fees and taxes of different government agencies already slapped on every litre of petroleum products that a consumer buys.
‘I will go to Mtwara’ During the same period, Dr Mpango also scoffed at threats by some MPs, and said he would go to Lindi and Mtwara ,and that nobody had the right to bar him from going there.
“I have no plans to sabotage the people of Mtwara and Lindi…. It is my right to go to Mtwara, and I will go to visit my friends, colleagues and relatives there…. I will go there in the process of undertaking my usual ministerial duties,” he said.
Dr Mpango’s remarks were in apparent response to MPs from Lindi and Mtwara, who had earlier warned him against visiting the regions if the government proceeded with its plans to change the law governing cashew nut funds.
That was after MPs fronted by their colleagues from cashew nut growing regions vehemently opposed the government’s proposal to change the Cashewnut Industry Act (Cap 203), through the Finance Bill 2018, with a view to ensuring that export levies were col- lected in the consolidated fund.
But Dr Mpango said on June 26, 2018 that he was ready to die for the country, saying he had always worked for all Tanzanians irrespective of where they come from.
“I swore to defend the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania…when I was lecturing at the university, I taught all students irrespective of where they come from...when I was the head of the Planning Commission, I advised the government about a number of projects in the southern regions. If there is anyone against me on person- al reasons, I can only pray for them,” he said.
People want development Speaking shortly before he received Parliament’s approval to become Tanzania’s Vice President yesterday, Dr Mpango said people want development. He said people want their standard gauge railway (SGR) to be completed. They want the Nyerere Hydropower Dam to be completed.
They want roads, especially in rural areas. They want water and security so they can keep on conducting their projects. They hate corruption.
“If this Parliament approves me as proposed by the President, this is what I will work for. That way, we will achieve the aspirations of our people as portrayed when they bid fare- well to former President John Magufuli,” he said.
Parliament, he said, was sup- posed to advise the government, and asked the legislative body to keep on doing what it had been doing all along.
“I’m not humble as some people say. I’m not humble to corrupt people. I’m not humble to those who swindle public funds. I’m not humble to those who sleep on the job,” he said.
All 363 MPs who cast their votes yesterday endorsed President Hassan’s choice of Dr Mpango as Vice President.
According to Article 71 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr Mpango now ceases to be MP
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