Ndugai orders CAG to appear before ethics committee

Dodoma. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Job Ndugai, has ordered the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Prof Mussa Assad, to appear before the Parliamentary Privileges, Ethics and Powers Committee where he will be grilled over allegations of disrespecting the legislative body.

Speaking during an interview with the UN Kiswahili Service, Prof Assad said recently that his institution prepares audit reports – portraying that some money has been misused in some areas - which are to be worked on by the Parliament.

“That is the task of the Parliament. If we are producing reports, yet no action is being taken, to me, that’s the weakness of the Parliament….I believe it is a challenge that will be worked on….The Parliament is failing to exercise its responsibilities effectively,” he said.

But in response, Mr Ndugai said on Monday, January 07, 2019, that Prof Assad, who formerly taught accounting at the University of Dar es Salaam in the capacity of Associate Professor, should stand before the Parliamentary Privileges, Ethics and Powers Committee on January 21.

“If it is the issue of fabrication, then the CAG and his office are also fabricators. You can’t speak about your country badly when you are in a foreign country,” said the vividly angered Speaker.

He said he has personally been irked by Prof Assad’s remarks.

“I never expected an educated person of Prof Assad’s caliber to utter such remarks. He has embarrassed the parliament that has more educated people than at any other time since independence,” he said.

Apart from Prof Assad, Mr Ndugai also wants the Kawe Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Halima Mdee, to appear before the same committee to respond to allegations of disrespecting the Parliament.