President Magufuli weighs in on the ‘missing’ Sh1.5 trillion saga

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli on Friday, April 20, says the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) assured him that no money was reported missing in the 2016/17 fiscal year.

Speaking at a State House function where he swore-in 10 judges, Dr Magufuli spoke strongly against people who he said were spreading lies via social media that Sh1.5 trillion has been unaccounted for.

“When I heard that Sh1.5 trillion has been lost, I called the CAG over the matter. He assured me that it was not true. I called the permanent secretary of the Treasury, who also assured me that it was not true,” he said.

Seemingly deeply perturbed by the claims that are making rounds in social media claiming that there were unexplained expenses to the tune of Sh1.5 trillion in the 2016/17 budget, President Magufuli asked the CAG, Prof Mussa Assad, who was in the audience, to say for the last time if any money was stolen from budgetary financial resources.

“The CAG is here. Can you stand up and tell us if any money was stolen?” President Magufuli asked the CAG.

“No sir. No money was stolen!” Prof Assad responded.

“When people read in the social media about such kind of lies they believe it without doubting. We should not just let a few individuals bring chaos. The DPP is there, the judiciary is there. Let’s deal with suck kind of individuals who spread lies,” he said.

President Magufuli complained about lack of power of his government to control social media.

“Those who have powers to censor social media platforms don’t care about our plight. At least the Chinese can do it. Have you ever seen WhatsApp or Google in China?” President Magufuli asked the audience.

President Magufuli spoke about the Sh1.5 trillion issue just hours after deputy Finance minister Ashatu Kijaji read the government statement on the same issue in Parliament in Dodoma. She explained how the Sh1.5 trillion was spent, saying all expenses were approved by Parliament.