Mafuru removed from the Treasury

        Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli yesterday appointed Dr Oswald Mashindano the new Treasury Registrar, replacing Mr Lawrence Mafuru, in a wide-ranging reshuffle touching on key positions in his administration.

The President has also appointed CCM spokesman Christopher Ole Sendeka the new Regional Commissioner for Njombe, according to a statement released by the State House late yesterday.

President Magufuli also appointed one permanent secretary, shifted two others and made some “minor changes” in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments).

The statement signed by the Director of Presidential Communications, Mr Gerson Msigwa, noted that Prof Faustin Kamuzora, who was the Communications ministry permanent secretary, has been moved to the Vice President’s Office where he holds the same position.

The President also appointed Mr Mathew Mtigumwe to be permanent secretary in the Agriculture ministry. He replaces Dr Florence Turuka, who in the new reshuffle has been moved to the Ministry of Defence and National Service.

Dr Turuka takes over from Mr Job Masima, who last week was appointed an ambassador. His workstation is yet to be announced.

President Magufuli has also promoted Dr Maria Sasabo to become the new permanent secretary in the ministry of Works, Transport and Communications. She will be responsible for the Communications docket.

He also appointed Ms Angelina Madete to be the new deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication. She replaces Dr Sasabo.

“Also, the President has appointed Dr Aloyce Nzuki to become the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources,” reads the State House statement a copy of which was availed to The Citizen.

Arguably, the biggest surprise in President Magufuli’s latest reshuffle is the change of guard at the sensitive Treasury Registry.

The new Treasury chief, Dr Mashindano, was a principal research associate with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF).

According to information on the ESRF website, “For the past 18 years Dr Mashindano has been undertaking research and teaching at the University of Dar-es-Salaam.”

The website cites his areas of expertise as microeconomics, agricultural economics and rural development, and natural resources and environmental economics.

Dr Mashindano is an author of various publications, the website notes. His predecessor at the Treasury, Mr Mafuru, was appointed in December 2014 by the then President Jakaya Kikwete.

Before his appointment, he headed the Finance Department in the President’s Office, which was overseeing the implementation of projects under the Big Result Now (BRN) initiative.

He was also Deputy Chief Executive Officer of FBME Bank. Reacting to the appointment back then, the then Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Zitto Kabwe urged Mr Mafuru to bring long overdue reforms to his new post, which the outspoken opposition politician described as a “a very sensitive post”, which “has not been accorded the importance it deserves”. Another surprise appointment is that of CCM spokesman Sendeka who replaces Dr Rehema Nchimbi, who has been shifted to Singida Region.

She replaces Mr Mtigumwe who in the new changes has been given the permanent secretary role in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock. He will be responsible for the Agriculture docket.