Heads will roll over misuse of public funds, Mpango vows

Mwanza. The Vice President said late on Tuesday that the government will have no mercy on officials who have been implicated in the audit report for the Controller and Auditor General (CAG).

“We have started taking action against all leaders who will have been confirmed to have taken part in the embezzlement of public funds as highlighted in the CAG’s report,” Dr Phillip Mpango said late on Tuesday.

He was speaking to residents of Kwimba District while he was on his way to Mabuki Ranch which is located in Misungwi District, Mwanza.

“They will face music,” he said.

He said the Samia Suluhu Hassan administration was disbursing development funds to all areas across the country which must be spent judiciously.

“These are your funds. The money belong to taxpayers. Even the funds that we get as loans are for Tanzanian taxpayers and that is why we inject them in the building of infrastructure and in social services like health, education and water among others,” he said.

On Sunday, April 9, 2023, President Samia Suluhu Hassan dissolved the board of directors for Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) and sacked the Director General for Tanzania Government Flight Agency (TGFA) after the CAG, Mr Charles Kichere, revealed massive discrepancies in the purchase of a cargo plane that would later be leased to Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) and the purchase of locomotives and couches for TRC.

The CAG’s audit report for the fiscal year 2021/22 found out that the last installment for the purchase of a cargo plane that was ordered by the government flights agency was $37 million; however, $86 million invoice was submitted for payment.

And, according to the State House statement that was issued on Sunday, apart from the TRC board and TGFA director, the President had also directed the chief secretary to make sure that permanent secretaries and Director Generals of government entities read the CAG report and implement issues raised in their areas.

On Tuesday, Dr Mpango directed leaders to ensure that every single cent send to their respective areas for development is spent judiciously and for the intended purpose, adding that embezzlement will not be tolerated.

“I ask leaders at all levels that the development funds coming to your areas must be spent for the intended purpose. Make sure that no one should pull out part of the money,” he said.

He also urged residents to take care of the infrastructure projects being built in the areas.

While at the Mabuki Ranch, Dr Mpango directed the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to come up with a system of identifying livestock keepers and the number of animals that each of them was keeping. That way, he said, the government would be in a position to improve the delivery of extension services.

Earlier, the minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Abdallah Ulega, said at Mabuki Centre the government has brought 500 herd of cattle which were being supervised by a team of youths who have been empowered by the government.

Yesterday, Dr Mpango was here in Mwanza where he graced an annual meeting for judges and a review of the Five-year Strategic Plan for the Judiciary which runs from fiscal year 2021/22 to 2024/25.

Gracing the event, Dr Mpango urged the Judiciary to conduct a self-evaluation of its operations with a view to slashing out corrupt elements which he said was reducing the faith that Tanzanians have in the Judiciary arm of the State.

He also asked the Judiciary to come up with improvements that would ultimately reduce bureaucracy and costs especially in the running of civil cases so that ordinary Tanzanians can easily get fair judicial proceedings.

The meeting brought together Judges from the Court of Appeal, from the High Court, Commissioners from the Judicial Service Commission, senior leaders from the Judiciary and key personalities in the implementation of the Five-year Strategic Plan for the Judiciary and the Judicial Reform Programme.

Dr Mpango said the major complaints against the judiciary included the presence of corrupt practices and delays in the delivery of justice, with the cases going on for between seven to 11 years. This, he said, raised the costs of seeking justice.

The Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof Prof Ibrahim Juma said the Judiciary was currently working out a system that would see court rulings being translated from English to other languages, including Kiswahili so that every Tanzanian can understand them. Regarding corruption allegations, he said they have already asked the Prevention and Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to conduct an evaluation of Tanzanians’ attitudes, feelings and concepts on corruption in the judiciary.

“I also want to get back to employees and leaders for the judiciary and ask you all to conduct a realistic assessment, loopholes, indicators and perceptions of corruption which most Tanzanians still have against us,” he said