President Magufuli says he forgave January Makamba and William Ngeleja

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli today, September 4, 2019 said he ‘forgave’ former ministers January Makamba and William Ngeleja after the two were allegedly implicated in vocal clips scandal that ‘insulted’ the Head of State.

Mr Makamba served as the Union Affairs and Environment minister in the fifth phase government before he was sacked in July 2019 while Mr Ngeleja as served the Energy and Minerals docket in the fourth phase government.

 They are ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi MPs for Bumbuli and Sengerema respectively.

The said telephone conversation recordings allegedly involved Mr Makamba speaking to his father, Yusuph Makamba; Mr Ngeleja and former minister Nape Nnauye, and former CCM secretary-general Mr Abdulrahman Kinana and Mr Nnauye.

The five have neither admitted nor denied that they were indeed the ones heard discussing matters of a political nature in the recordings.

Some analysts who spoke to The Citizen soon after Mr Makamba was sacked as a minister even associated the voices as well as the controversial letter his father – Makamba senior – and Mr Kinana authored.

But speaking during a meeting with stakeholders in the construction sector in Dar es Salaam today, President Magufuli said that he was “by more than 100 per cent sure that the voices were theirs.”

He was talking to engineers, contractors and surveyors on the importance of forgiveness.

 “I remember that recently there were some people who insulted me, I sat down and thought if these people were to be sent to the political committee of [CCM’s]

Central Committee the punishment will be unbearable, let me keep quiet,” he said. 

But according to the President the two took an initiative to speak to hima and apologized for what had happened. 

“I said to myself that I always ask for forgiveness from God, and there is that prayer that God forgive us our wrong doings as we forgive others.

“I chose to forgive. I forgave and forgot,” he said.