ACT Wazalendo demands accountability on CAG findings, flags Sh7.7 trillion in repeated irregularities

Dar es Salaam. Opposition party ACT Wazalendo has called for urgent and transparent action against individuals and institutions implicated in the latest report by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), warning that recurring financial mismanagement is undermining public trust in governance and accountability mechanisms.

Speaking during a public dialogue on Saturday, May 10, 2025, ACT Wazalendo Party Leader Dorothy Semu described the annual CAG reports as increasingly repetitive, citing systemic failures that remain unresolved year after year.

She warned that unless meaningful action is taken, citizens will begin to perceive these reports as ceremonial rather than tools for reform.

Her remarks follow the April 16 presentation in Parliament of the CAG’s audit of public revenue and expenditure for the 2023/24 financial year. The report, submitted to President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the end of March, exposes a wide range of financial and procedural anomalies.

“Our analysis covering four consecutive years—from 2020/21 to 2023/24—reveals a disturbing trend: the same audit queries reappear with little or no corrective action,” said Semu. “Issues of embezzlement, misallocated funds, dormant projects, and rising public debt have become routine.”

The party’s 10-point review of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) report brought to light several pressing concerns.

 These include the misuse and loss of public funds, consistent delays and abandonment of key development projects, and the ballooning of the national debt.

ACT Wazalendo also cited Sh4.5 trillion in unpaid claims to suppliers and contractors, alongside growing backlogs in employee salaries and pension payments.

The review highlighted chronic mismanagement within public enterprises and escalating financial losses at the national carrier, Air Tanzania (ATCL).

Another major issue was the suspected misappropriation of Sh262.3 billion in corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds linked to the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project.

The party also raised alarm over persistent public transport inefficiencies, particularly the shortage of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses in Dar es Salaam, and criticised the ongoing underinvestment in the country’s road infrastructure.

According to Semu, the value of questionable expenditure identified over the four-year period now totals Sh7.72 trillion.

“If these funds had been managed responsibly, Tanzania could have reduced its reliance on high-interest loans and accelerated service delivery,” she added.

Semu stressed that the 2025 general election will be a litmus test, stating the party will use the findings to showcase the growing disconnect between public expectations and government accountability.

“Tanzanians are tired of seeing national resources benefit a few while essential projects in health, water, and roads stall,” she said.

“ACT Wazalendo is ready to ensure that every shilling collected is spent on quality services, job creation, and inclusive development.”

Shadow Prime Minister Isihaka Mchinjita urged media houses and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to take a more active role in exposing and following up on audit findings.

“We need transparency, not just from government institutions, but also from those responsible for oversight. We also call on the government to strengthen its electronic systems to prevent off-platform transactions that enable fraud,” said Mchinjita.

Echoing this, the party’s shadow Finance Minister, Kiza Mayeye, demanded a special audit into aircraft purchases dating back to 2016. “Too much is hidden in these transactions. A thorough review is long overdue,” he said.

The party concluded with a call for urgent policy reform to restore public confidence in the country’s fiscal governance and uphold the CAG’s mandate as a catalyst for accountability—not a yearly ritual.