Gama still in hot water

Dodoma. Two opposition legislators are up in arms demanding the President to sack Kilimanjaro regional commissioner Leonidas Gama over allegations of being linked with a land grabbing scandal in the region.

Mr Joseph Selasini (Rombo-Chadema) and Mr Augustino Mrema (Vunjo-TLP) said yesterday that Mr Gama should pay back Sh168 million spent by Rombo District Council for compensation to pave way for investment by a company co-owned by Chinese and his son.

Mr Gama, however, addressed the media on Monday and denied any wrongdoing. He, instead blamed the allegation on election campaign politics. The RC nevertheless said his son was involved with the company, which is at the centre of the land allocation scandal.

The matter came up on Monday when Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development shadow minister Halima Mdee presented opposition speech.

She said that Mr Gama awarded the acquired land to Jun Yu Investment International Company Ltd, which Mr Gama is believed to hold 20,000 shares and his son Muyanga owns 3,000 shares.

Mr Selasini said the company also uses the regional commissioner’s address, raising a concerns over Mr Gama’s involvement.

Yesterday, Mr Mrema sought Speaker’s guidance over the matter claiming further that Mr Gama also de-registered Locolova, a cooperative union of farmers and herders, which owned 2,610 acres, and instead formed a company called Kilimanjaro Uchumi Company Ltd, which the MPs suspect belongs to him, to replace the union.

Mr Mrema said the company entered into agreement with TIB Development Bank to construct an international market in Himo and the two will sell plots in the area formerly owned by Locolova.

However, Speaker of the National Assembly Anne Makinda told him that already Lands minister William Lukuvi had promised to follow up on the issue and act accordingly.

“I order the government to report before the end of this Parliament,” she said.

However, Mr Mrema and Mr Selasini called a press conference just after the questions and answers session to explain the issue.

“Members of the cooperative union hold no shares and they have remained landless for more than three years now. If this happened during my tenure as Home Affairs minister, I would have asked the President to sack Mr Gama in seven days,” he said.

Mr Selasini wanted the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to investigate Mr Gama so that he would repay the money.

“We are ready to testify on the issue as we have sufficient evidence,” said Mr Selasini.