Ubungo Mayor blames his ouster on ‘unearthing Sh1.6bn corruption’

Dar es Salaam. The immediate past Mayor of Ubungo Municipality, in Dar es Salaam, Boniface Jacob who was ousted from Office on May 2 this year says his expulsion was due to his move to unearth the embezzlement of over Sh1.6 billion given to the municipality for lending the youth, women and the disabled.
Speaking yesterday to reporters in Dar es Salaam Jacob asked President John Magufuli to intervene in corruption at the municipal council.
He said his stand against corrupt practices in the municipality caused him to be removed from his mayoral position unfairly.
On May 2, this year, the municipal director announced to remove Jacob from his position, claiming that she had received a letter from the opposition Chadema at Ubungo Ward, detailing that the politician, who is the Ubungo councilor, had been expelled from the party membership.
However, Chadema cadre Asheri Mlahagwa, who is said to have writ-ten the letter, denied doing so and the party secretary general, Mr John Mnyika, also denied being involved in the Jacob controversy.
He said the cash was part of a total of Sh3.38 billion dished out to the municipality between 2017 and 2019.
“I would like to make a call to the President of the United Republic, who has distinguished himself to fight corruption, to make interventions in this issue or use his state organs to make follow-ups and conduct a thorough investigation into the Ubungo Municipal Council.
“I, together with my councillors, are ready to offer cooperation and give exhibits over the loss of billions of shillings if required,” said Mr Jacob.
 However, when the municipal director, Beatrice Dominic, was asked on the phone to comment on the matter she denied any loss of money, sayingi it was lent to groups of people.
“There is a difference between stolen money, lost money and money for loans which is still in groups that has been not repaid. So, the money he is talking about had been loaned to groups - and had not been repaid,” said Ms Beatrice.