PCCB to use media in anti-graft fight

What you need to know:
Other non-governmental bodies to be incorporated in the exercise include faith-based and civil society organizations and the private sector.
Arusha. The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) will fully cooperate with the media in fighting graft.
Other non-governmental bodies to be incorporated in the exercise include faith-based and civil society organizations and the private sector.
"We will enhance our cooperation with these sectors in our on-going war against corruption", said the PCCB acting commander for Arusha region Ms Frida Wikessy.
Briefing reporters on the performance of anti-graft war in the region for last year, she said media outlets were important partners in the crusade against the vice.
She said her officers were upbeat to intensify the fight through the involvement of the members of the community and relevant government institutions.
According to her, some 248 cases of corruption-related issues were reported at PCCB in Arusha last year but only 24 of them were investigated and had files opened for them.
She said out of the 24, only 12 cases had corruption suspects arraigned in court.
Strategies used to fight graft include close follow up on government-funded projects on water supply, roads, education and health through the Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS).
Ms Wikessy said public sensitization on the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act No. 11 of 2007, especially its 2015 amendment on confidentiality of the informers would continue.
However, she warned public officials who are obsessed with receiving bribes or entering in shoddy deals or corrupt practices that they were not too far for the long arm of the bureau.
"We will net them and take them before the court once investigations show they had a role in corruption", she told journalists, stressing that the fifth phase government was serious on the war against corruption.
Public sensitization on anti-corruption would be undertaken through the media outlets such as the radio and TVs,seminars, public meetings, open discussions, among other platforms, she said.
Between July last year and March this year, a total of 147 seminars, 111 open discussions/public meetings were held to sensitize people on the need to intensify fight against graft and report the suspects to relevant bodies.