KICHEFU CHEFU:SAKATA LA RADA:Kina Ndugai wataka kina Chenge washitakiwe

[Tonge]

TIMU ya wabunge walioenda nchini Uingereza kufuatilia malipo ya rada kwa Serikali ya Tanzania imekabidhi ripoti yake kwa Spika wa Bunge inayopendekeza mambo mawili, ikiwamo kushtakiwa kwa wahusika wa sakata hilo hapa nchini.Timu hiyo ya wabunge wanne ikiongozwa na Naibu Spika, Job Ndugai, ilimkabidhi ripoti hiyo kwa Spika Anne Makinda jana mchana.

Wajumbe wengine wa timu hiyo ni Angellah Kairuki (Viti Maalumu-CCM), Mussa Zungu (Ilala-CCM) na John Cheyo (Bariadi Mashariki-UDP).

Kwa nyakati tofauti, wabunge hao waliwaeleza waandishi wa habari mjini hapa jana kuwa imegundua madhambi ya kutisha katika sakata la ununuzi wa rada hiyo ya kijeshi yanayoweza kuwatia hatiani wahusika.

Ingawa wajumbe hao hawakuwataja watuhumiwa hao kwenye mkutano huo na waandishi wa habari, aliyekuwa Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali (AG), Andrew Chenge, ambaye kwa sasa ni Mbunge wa Bariadi Magharibi (CCM), ni mtuhumiwa namba moja na aliyekuwa Gavana wa BoT, Dk Idrisa Rashid.

Wakati wa uchunguzi wa sakata hilo, Kampuni ya SFO ilibaini zaidi ya Dola za Marekani 1.2milioni kwenye akaunti ya Chenge iliyoko katika kisiwa cha Jersey nchini Uingereza. Lakini alipohojiwa na waandishi wa habari, Chenge alisema 'hivi ni vijisenti tu'

"Miongoni mwa mapendekezo yake (ripoti) kwa Serikali ni kuwafikisha mahakamani watuhumiwa wote waliohusika kwenye ufisadi huo," alisema mmoja wa wajumbe wa timu hiyo.

Ripoti hiyo pia inaeleza kuwa imeweza kufichua mlolongo wa kashfa na njama ambazo zilitengenezwa nchini Uingereza ili kufunika uovu huo ambao ni wizi dhidi ya fedha za Watanzania.

Wakizungumza na waandishi wa habari mjini hapa, timu hiyo ilisema, mbali na kupendekeza wahusika katika sakata hilo washtakiwe, walitaka pia Bunge na Serikali kushirikiana kwa karibu hadi fedha ambazo Tanzania inazidai kutoka Kampuni ya BAE System, zipatikane.

Cheyo, mmoja wa wajumbe wa timu hiyo, hakuwapo katika mazungjmzo hayo na waandishi wa habari jana.

Wabunge hao walisema katika safari yao wamegundua mengi ikiwa ni pamoja na namna uovu huo wa kifisadi ulivyozimwa ili dunia isifahamu.

Angellah alisema kuwa timu hiyo ya wabunge ilibaini pia kuwa Serikali ya Tanzania ilikuwa imekatazwa na SFO isiwachukulie hatua watuhumiwa wa hapa nchini kwa sababu ingekuwa ni mwingiliano wa kesi mahakamani.

Alisema kwa sasa ambapo tayari mahakama ya Uingereza imetoa hukumu, Tanzania iko huru kuwachukulia hatua wahusika. Pamoja na hali hiyo, alisema nguvu kubwa kwa sasa ielekezwe katika kuiwezesha Tanzania kupata fedha hizo bila mizengwe.

Alisema kama Serikali ya Tanzania inataka kuwashtaki inapaswa kupata pia ushahidi wa SFO ambao waliutumia kuibana BAE hadi ikaamua irejeshe fedha zote.

Kuhusu uwezekano wa kuwaunganisha maofisa wa BAE kwenye kesi hiyo, Ndugai alisema kuwa tatizo ni kwamba waliohusika kwenye mpango huo tayari wameondolewa kwenye kampuni hiyo.

Zungu alisema mkakati wao ni kwamba iwapo kampuni ya BAE haitatoa fedha hizo hadi Desemba mwaka huu, Serikali ya Tanzania ifungue upya mashtaka nchini Uingereza.

Kwa upande wake, Ndugai alianza kwa kuelezea lilikoanzia sakata hilo, akisema: "kama mnavyojua Desemba 20 mwaka jana mahakama nchini Uingereza ilitoa hukumu ambayo iliiadhibu kampuni ya BAE kulipa fidia ya paundi 29 milioni kwa Tanzania."

Alisema Kampuni ya Kuchunguza Rushwa kubwa kubwa nchini Uingereza ya (SFO) ndiyo iliyofungua mahakamani kesi hiyo. Ndugai alisema kwa kuwa BAE ilibaini kuwa shtaka hilo lilikuwa ni zito na lingeweza kuharibu sifa ya kampuni hiyo duniani, walifanya mpango wa kesi hiyo kuzungumzwa nje ya mahakama na kufanikiwa.

Wakiwa nje ya mahakama, Ndugai alisema BAE walitengeneza mkataba na kusema kwamba watarejesha fedha zote ambazo Tanzania ilinunulia rada hiyo pamoja na fidia.

"Yaani walifanya kana kwamba rada hiyo Tanzania imepewa bure. Maana walinunua kwa pauni 28 milioni na sasa wanatoa pauni 29.3 milioni," alisema Ndugai. Alifafanua kuwa mkataba huo ulikuwa ni wa kufunika aibu na uliandikwa na mwanasheria wa BAE huku ukieleza kuwa fedha hizo zitatolewa kwa mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali ili yatoe huduma za kijamii.

Alisema hata kabla kesi hiyo haijaenda mahakamani, walitoa mapendekezo ya fidia itakayopatikana iletwe nchini ili kununua madawati na kujenga nyumba za walimu kwa kuwa waathirika ni Watanzania.

Baada ya makubaliano hayo ya nje ya mahakama, Ndugai alisema SFO na BAE walikubaliana kesi iliyoko mahakamani ijulikane kuwa ni ya kosa la kushindwa kuweka vizuri kumbukumbu.

Alisema SFO na BAE wakaingia mkataba wa kufunga faili la uchunguzi kuhusu kashfa hiyo ikiwa na maana kwamba uozo uliofanyika hautatolewa kwa namna yoyote kwa chombo chochote.

Ndugai alizidi kueleza kuwa hii ni njama kati ya SFO na BAE ya kutotaka madhambi yaliyofanywa katika ununuzi huo wa rada yasiwekwe hadharani na dunia ikafahamu.

Hata hivyo, Ndugai alisema kamati yake imegundua ujanja huo na kwamba kitendo cha kusema fedha hizo ziende kwa mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali ya kuisaidia jamii, ni njia ya kuzitumia wao wenyewe.

"Wao wanataka ionekane BAE wametoa msaada halafu wafanye safari za kuja nchini kwa ndege na walipane posho halafu mwisho wa siku fedha nyingi watatumia wao," alilalamika Ndugai.

Ndugai alisema fedha hizo zitolewe kwa Serikali ya Tanzania na zisimamiwe na Bunge katika kutengeneza madawati na nyumba za walimu na Mkaguzi na Mdhibiti Mkuu wa Fedha za Serikali (CAG) aweze kuzikagua.

"Zikitolewa kwa mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali, CAG hataweza kuzikagua na hata matumizi yake yakipindishwa hakuna namna ya kuwabana wahusika," alisema Ndugai.

Akizungumzia kuhusu safari yao ya Uingereza, Zungu alisema walichogundua ni kwamba BAE ilifanya mchezo mchafu kuanzia ununuzi wa rada hadi kuficha madhambi yake kwa kutaka kesi izungumzwe nje ya mahakama.


Taarifa zao kuvuja
Alilalamika kuwa hata baadhi ya wabunge wa upinzani waliozungumzia suala hilo juzi, ilitokana na kuvuja kwa taarifa za ripoti yao.

Hakumtaja mbunge huyo wa upinzani, lakini John Mnyika ndiye aliyeliambia Bunge kuwa fedha hizo zisipelekwe serikalini kwa sababu walishindwa kuzisimamia na wala hawakuomba washirikishwe kwenye kesi hiyo.

Zungu alilalamika kuwa miongoni mwa lawama dhidi ya SFO ni kutoshirikisha Tanzania kwenye kesi hiyo hasa ikizingatiwa kuwa iliwasiliana na Takukuru ili kupata ushahidi ambao uliisaidia kuibana BAE.


Lakini akamsifu Jaji aliyeamua kesi hiyo kwa sababu alisisitiza kuwa dhuluma hiyo ilikuwa ni dhidi ya wananchi wa Tanzania hivyo lazima fedha hizo zipelekwe moja kwa moja kwa manufaa ya waathirika hao.

Zungu alisema kuwa Jaji aliamua itozwe fidia ndogo ya paundi 500,000 katika fedha hizo ili zigharimie kesi hiyo.

Zungu alionya kuwa kama mshikamano hautakuwapo katika suala hilo, BAE itatumia fedha za Watanzania na kujigamba imetoa msaada.

Alisema katika Bunge la Uingereza, Tanzania inasifiwa kuwa imekuwa ikitumia vizuri fedha za misaada na wanaridhika iendelee kupewa misaada.

"Sasa kitendo cha kutoa fedha hizi, zilizotoka mikononi mwa Serikali ziende kwa asasi za kiraia kwa madai kwamba hazitatumika vizuri ni udhalilishaji mkubwa," alieleza Zungu.

Alisema kamati hiyo ilipanga kukutana na Mkurugenzi wa SFO, Richard Agaman, lakini alikataa huku akisema yuko tayari kuwasiliana na balozi wa Tanzania nchini Uingereza.

Zungu alisema balozi huyo alisema mkurugenzi huyo wa SFO aliomba radhi kwa kutoshirikisha Serikali ya Tanzania kwenye kesi hiyo.

 

[Kishongo]

Chenge cleared of radar scandal

From Dodoma, 5th July 2011

THE government has named three key suspects implicated by the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in controversial procurement of radar and cleared former Attorney General, Mr Andrew John Chenge in the scandal.

The Minister of State in the President's Office (Good Governance), Mr Mathias Chikawe, named the key suspects as Sailesh Vithlani who brokered the deal, BAE Systems' Sales Manager, Jonathan Coleman and Commercial Manager, one Christopher.

"The SFO investigations have not found Mr Chenge of any wrongdoing in the radar deal. If there is anyone with evidence let him or her come forward with it," Mr Chikawe told the National Assembly while winding up the debate for his ministry late on Tuesday.

The British arms manufacturer had earlier pleaded guilty to failure to keep "reasonably accurate accounting records" for its activities in Tanzania.

The firm was required to pay £30 million as "ex gratia payment" to the people of Tanzania.

In law, an ex gratia payment is a payment made without the giver recognizing any liability or legal obligation.

President Jakaya Kikwete said in 2007 Tanzania would seek a refund from the UK if the long-running corruption probe into the sale of a British radar system reveals it was overcharged.

Minister Chikawe maintained that the government would prosecute any one implicated in the scandal.

"We have not prosecuted anyone so far because we do not have evidence. We cannot just rely on opinion by some few people in the society," the minister said.

Mr Chenge, who is Bariadi West MP was the AG in 2009 when the government procured the radar from the British arms manufacturer.

It was later found out that the equipment was heavily overpriced.

Mr Chenge later served as the Minister for Infrastructure Development and resigned after he was implicated in the scandal.

In another development, the government of Tanzania could still press charges against the BAE Systems officials who were implicated in the radar case.

These are among recommendations of a Parliamentary team that went to Britain to make a follow up of the £29.5 (about 80bn/-) penalty that was slapped on the firm.

The penalty follows a ruling by a Southwork court in UK after BAE agreed to an out of court settlement with SFO.

"Much as the case was settled in the UK, the BAE officials could still face charges out of UK," said Ilala legislator, Mr Mussa Azzan Zungu (CCM), who was one of the members of the committee who went to London last month.

The committee, which was chaired by Deputy Speaker, Mr Job Ndugai, also comprised legislators Azzan, Ms Angela Kairuki (Special Seats - CCM) and Mr John Cheyo (Bariadi East-UDP).

The team left the country on June 17 and returned on June 28.

While in UK, Mr Azzan said they managed to meet and convince representatives from both the House of Commons and House of Lords that channelling the money through charities would undermine credibility of Tanzania.

Ms Kairuki expressed concern over reports that some Tanzanians have been e-mailing the company, advising it not to refund the money through the government.

She charged that the settlement agreement between BAE and SFO was drafted by the BAE's lawyer who ensured that the document is put in a way that the money is not channelled through the government.

Contributing to the President Office (Public Service Management, Good Governance and Relations and Co-ordination) debate earlier, Ms Munde Tambwe Abdallah tasked the government to come clean on the radar scandal.

"If there is someone who has been implicated why isn't he/she taken to court?" the MP wondered.

The arms manufacturer has maintained that it would channel the money through charity organizations to support the education sector in the country.

"That money is not a donation but rather a penalty for their misdeeds against the people of Tanzania. They should not dictate terms to us," Mr Ndugai said.

His team was told to make a written submission to the UK government, regarding the SFO and BAE case.

In fact, the director of SFO apologized to the government of Tanzania for failure to involve it in the case at the settlement agreement.

On July 19, this year, there will be a public hearing by the UK's Public Accounts Committee on radar deals. Tanzania's team will also be appearing at the public hearing.

The public hearing will also draw representatives from the Department for International Development (DFID), Transparency International, BAE Systems, SFO as well as the Ministry of Justice.

The SFO has been investigating a $39.5m (about 53bn/-) contract signed in 1999 to supply a radar system to Tanzania and relates to payments of $12m to Shailesh Vithlani, BAE's former marketing advisor in Dar es Salaam.

 

[Gama]

Wabunge acheni kutumia fedha zetu hovyo, hivi hii trip ya kwenda kui-probe BAE na SFO inatija gani?, hawa wabunge wanauwezo kiasi gani kuweza ku-probe taasis hizi?, hii taarifa wanayoitowa inapatikana hata kwenye mtandao, ninamashaka kweli kama waliomba audience ya mkuu wa CFO- isijekuwa walishia kwenda kucheza dansi kwenye vilabu vya huko. Kwa ufupi hakuna taarifa mpya hapa.

 

[Mr.Mak]

mbona wanaleta siasa sasa. chenge kama mwanasheria mkuu aliyehusika katika manunuzi hana namna ya kusema hahusiki. huyo anahusika kwa uzembe achilia kula dili lenyewe. uzembe tu ni kosa kubwa ambalo limetugharimu watanzania. ivi ushahidi gani unaotakiwa? wanataka waletewe picha akiwa anapokea pesa? sisi waswahili tunasema cheo ni dhamana sasa dhamana aliyopewa hakuitendea haki lazima imdhuru. anatakiwa akamatwe na tuache siasa ya viswahili vya kuomba ushahidi kama anahusika au hahusiki.

 

[Mkirua]

Aah! Hivyo ni visenti tu!

 

[Ndachuwa]

Hiyo kamati ya Bunge wanachoongelea kina fahamika siku nyingi. Ningependa kusikia walikutana na nani kwenye hiyo safari yao na wamekubaliana nini. Kwa mawazo yangu, hawa hawajafanya chochote na hiyo taarifa waliyotoa ni mkutasari wa habari zilizopo kuhusu fidia ya rada; kwa maana nyingine safari yao hiyo haijazaa chochote.

 

[MANI]

posho tu ndio zimefanikiwa !