Mwinyi suspends ZSSF boss over office abuse claims

Dar es Salaam. Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi yesterday suspended Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF) director general Sabra Issa Machano over allegations of fraudulent activities in the implementation of major government projects.

According to a statement issued yesterday, Dr Mwinyi suspended the executive when he addressed officials and executives of the Zanzibar Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Authority (Zaeca) in the Isles.

Other officials implicated in the allegations include Ramadhani Abdalla Ali as well as officials from the Zanzibar Urban Services Project (ZUSP) from the Ministry of Finance.

Dr Mwinyi said he had decided to suspend ZSSF CEO Sabra Issa Machano and Ramadhani Abdalla Ali for operational errors in the implementation of the Darajani Railway Construction Project.

He also said it was clear that in the implementation of the project procedures were violated and so he noted the need for an investigation, while the executives were out of work.

“The allegations against them do not allow them to continue working, so it is important for them to give room for investigation,” reads a statement from Zanzibar.

He said the government would uphold justice and no employee would be held accountable unfairly.

In addition, he said he was not happy with the implementation of the $93 million ZUSP project, which was intended to alleviate various challenges in the Municipality.

He said available information showed that there were serious irregularities in the procurement as well as fraudulent transactions in the works that were stated to have been done, yet it did not take place.

Dr Mwinyi said he had to suspend the entire Project Coordination Committee so that an investigation could be carried out, while the staff were out of work.