Pinda booed as MPs close ranks on IPTL scam
Dodoma. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda was booed yesterday in Parliament in an unprecedented reaction by MPs angered by what they saw as brazen attempts to block them from debating the Controller and Auditor General’s report on the Tegeta escrow account scam.
Mr Pinda was booed in the afternoon as he sought
to explain the independence of the Judiciary and that of Parliament as
the supreme law making organ and the executive.
But MPs would have none of it and drowned his
remarks in loud boos as they read mischief in the letter purported to
have been written by the Judiciary to seek stoppage of any debate on the
CAG report. MPs across the political divide united to defend their
turf and demanded that the report be tabled for debate without further
delay and before any other House business could be undertaken.
They rallied the Speaker to reject what they
viewed as manipulation by the Executive to undermine the supremacy of
the House and defeat justice in the monumental scandal exposed by the
CAG and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).
The Tegeta escrow scandal revolves around a
questionable withdrawal, from the central bank, of a whopping Sh306
billion in taxpayer’s money that was shared among a few individuals in
government and the private sector.
The money was withdrawn to facilitate the sale of
the Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) to Pan Africa Power
Solutions (PAP) in a fraudulent transaction.
Emotions ran high and tension was palpable in
Parliament as the MPs faced off the front bench. Deputy Speaker Job
Ndugai earlier set the ball rolling by seeking debate from the floor on
the way forward in the handling of the apparently explosive report.
All the MPs who spoke were categorical that the
authority of the august House must reign supreme while beseeching Mr
Ndugai not to succumb to the whims of those implicated in the scandal.
Kigoma North MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe who chairs the
powerful Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) said his team was ready
to table the report for debate and action by Parliament after
Wednesday’s interrogation of the CAG, PCCB and TRA chiefs.
Giving a glimpse of what to expect, Mr Kabwe said
what happened was akin to would be expected only in a failed. “What we
have witnessed can only happen in countries like Somalia, Congo and
Sierra-Leone where there is no rule of law.”
“This escrow scandal is the threshold of
Tanzanian’s patience. Parliament must now stump its authority and stop
the country from slipping into anarchy,” he said.
Mr Ndugai later said he would convene the Steering
Committee meeting to give direction. “We cannot create unity around a
wrong,’’ he said, quoting the 9th Parliament Speaker Samuel Sitta during
the handling of the Richmond scandal that brought out the resignation
of the then PM Edward Lowassa.
Animated contributions by the MPs came immediately after the
Question and Answer session when David Kafulila (Kigoma-South,
NCCR-Mageuzi) sought the Speaker’s guidance on Mr Pinda’s assertions
when responding to a question by Mr Moses Machali (Kasulu Urban,
NCCR-Mageuzi).
Mr Machali demanded to know whether a plot had been hatched to use the Judiciary to block the tabling of the CAG report.
The Premier, who is a lawyer by profession, said
that in his understanding as a legal expert, discussing issues pending
in court was likely to influence decisions by presiding judges. He
insisted that it was important to observe sobriety in order to avoid
jeopardising the cases.
He said there were more than 10 pending cases on
IPTL and that the laws of the country did not allow public discussion on
matters that were before the court.
His response did not go down well with MPs who
charged that Mr Pinda’s sentiments were a proof that the Executive was
using the Judiciary to serve selfish interests.
They also alluded to meetings on Wednesday between
the PM, Chief Justice Othman Chande and the Chief Secretary Ombeni
Sefue ahead of the debate.
The opposition chief whip Mr Tundu Lissu said
there was no provision in the Tanzanian Constitution or Parliamentary
Standing Orders that gave the mandate to the Judiciary to direct
Parliament on how it should conduct its business.
Mr Lissu insisted that in case the Chief Justice,
Principal Judge or High Court registrar has written a letter to
Parliament blocking it from discussing the Tegeta escrow saga, the
Parliament has powers to use Section 64(1)(e) to debate and sanction
them.
Kahama MP James Lembeli (CCM) said the country was
at a crossroads and that it was only the august House that could return
it to normalcy before it degenerates into a chaotic state.
“Presently, only Parliament and the Military
enjoy people’s confidence. By seeking to frustrate us, we risk losing
face and jeopardising the security of this country. How can someone take
public money then when asked to give clarifications just tell you that
Sh1 billion was legal consultancy fee while our people are suffering in
hospitals without medicines?’’ he said.
Ms Esther Bulaya (Special Seats-CCM) said she has
repeatedly said the Judiciary was being misused by the Executive, vowing
that she would do everything to defend the Parliamentary independence
and powers.
“During the Constituent Assembly sitting, the
Judiciary did not issue any order to suspend debate when various cases
were filed at the High Court, why is it becoming an issue now when we
are about to debate this huge scandal?” she argued, adding that she was
not ready to see her party’s image tarnished because of few corrupt
individuals.
Her sentiments were echoed by Mr Michael Lekule Laizer
(Longido-CCM) who said only an open debate would shed light on the
scandal or clear the innocent who have been being falsely mentioned.
According to Iringa Urban
Lawmaker, the Rev Peter Msigwa, Parliament was
passing through a trying moment. “We heard one of the ministers who was
bribed saying that he received the money in good faith; we want that
money returned in good faith as it was received,’’ he said.
Nominated MP Mr James Mbatia demanded that the
Steering Committee gives the House an entire week to debate the matter,
urging legislators to use their wisdom in deciding what is to be done.
“We are here because of a shaky and irresponsible
government. The whole country is not at peace because of the escrow
scandal and before we solve it in this house we cannot guarantee any
peace in this country,” he said in his emotional but cool contribution.
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