LHRC kufungua shauri High Court kupinga TUZO ya DOWANS...............

[RealMan]

Nimesikiliza Dr Mvungi akiongea na BBC hadi unafurahi. Ansema lazima "pachimbike kwanza"
Hiki ndicho tumekizungumza sana jamvini kwamba wanaharakati wachukue nafasi yao kwenye hili na inshallah mwenye enzi atatujalia watanzania kuzuia tusiibiwe mchana kweupe.
At least tusichinjwe kama kuku kwa kisasa maana hata hawapigi kelele.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Wanaharakati waapa kuzuia Serikali kuilipa Dowans
Tuesday, 11 January 2011 20:54

Geofrey Nyang'o
KITUO cha Sheria na Haki za Binadamu (LHRC), kwa kushirikiana na wanaharakati wa haki za kijinsia nchini wamewasilisha pingamizi Mahakama Kuu kupinga Serikali isiilipe kampuni ya Dowans Sh 97 bilioni zilizotokana na hukumu ya Mahakama ya Usuluhishi ya Biashara ya Kimataifa (ICC).
Mahakama hiyo ilikuwa imesikiliza malalamiko ya Dowans dhidi ya Shirika la Umeme Tanzania (Tanesco) na kuamua iilipe fidia hiyo baada ya kubaini kuwa ilivunja mkataba kinyume cha taratibu.

Kwa kawaida kabla ya malipo hayo kufanyika, hukumu hiyo ya ICC inapaswa kusajiliwa na Mahakama Kuu ya Tanzania, lakini wanaharakati hao wamekusudia kuweka pingamizi kuzuia mchakato huo usifanyike hivyo Dowans isilipwe.

LHRC jana walitoa tamko hilo wakisisitiza kuwa wanaungwa mkono na vyama mbalimbali visivyo vya kiserikali yakiwemo mashirika yanayotetea haki za binadamu, usawa wa jinsia na ukombozi wa wanawake (FemAct).

Akisoma tamko kuhusu uamuzi huo, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa LHRC, Francis Kiwanga alisema wameamua kuwake pingamizi kutokana na mikataba ya awali ya kampuni ya Dowans kupatikana kwa rushwa na kukiuka maslahi ya umma.

"Kituo kinafungua shauri Mahakama Kuu kupinga uhalali wa tuzo iliyotolewa kwa Dowans isisajiliwe na kuwa tuzo ya kimataifa kwasababu mikataba ya awali ilipatikana kwa rushwa na kukiuka maslahi ya umma," alisema Kiwanga.

Kiwanga alimtataja Wakili wa Kujitegemea na Mhadhiri wa Chuo Kikuu cha Bagamoyo, Dk Sengondo Mvungi kuwa ndiye wakili aliyeteuliwa kulisimia shauri hilo.

Katika mkutano huo na waandishi wa habari, Kiwanga alisema katika suala la Dowans kuna maswali mengi ya kujiuliza.

"Ikiwa Bunge la Jamuhuri ya Muungano kupitia Kamati Teule ya Bunge iliyoundwa Novemba 13 mwaka 2007 ilishathibitisha kuwa Richmond ni kampuni hewa, inawezekanaje kuwa na mkataba wa kurithisha Dowans?" alihoji Kiwanga.

Kiwanga alisema Wizara ya Nishati na Madini inatia shaka kuhusu mwenendo wa suala zima la Dowans na kuitaka Tanesco kukataa kulipa deni hilo.

"Uhalali wa kisheria wa miliki ya Dowans kwa mali za Richmond haupo. Ni kwanini Serikali haikutaifisha mali za Richmond tangu awali? Pili ikiwa Dowans haikurithi kwa halali mali ya Richmond, inawezekanaje Dowans kuwa na madai halali dhidi ya Serikali ya Tanzania?" alihoji Kiwanga.

Kiwanga alielezea shaka kwa Serikali kuwa na uharaka wa kulilipa deni hilo bila hata ya kuchukua hatua zozote za kisheria.

Alihoji, "Nini hasa maslahi ya Wizara ya Nishati na Madini hasa ikizingatiwa ndio iliyoishinikiza Tanesco kukubali kuhusishwa na kuhamishwa kwa mkataba wa Richmond kwenda Dowans?"

Alisema suala la usiri wa mikataba ya Serikali na uwekezaji hasa katika sekta ya nishati na madini linaibua maswali mengi na kuhoji dhana nzima ya uwajibikaji na uhifadhi wa rasilimali ya umma.

Alisema kutokana na hali hiyo, LHRC imependekeza mambo makuu sita likiwamo la kuitaka Serikali, watawala na maofisa wa umma na wote wanaohusika na suala hilo kuheshimu uamuzi ya Bunge wa kwamba Richmond ni kampuni hewa.

Alisema katika mazingira hayo kuilipa Dowans fedha hizo ni ukiukwaji wa utawala wa sheria na misingi ya demokrasia na ni kinyume na maslahi ya Taifa.

Aliitaka Wizara ya Nishati na Madini kuacha mara moja kuwabebesha mzigo Watanzania wa kulipa kiwango hicho kikubwa cha fedha wakati huo ni uzembe, ubadhilifu na ufisadi unaotokana na watendaji wa Serikali.

"Serikali na watawala pamoja na maofisa wa umma wote wanaohusika na suala hilo wazingatie maelekezo ya Katiba ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Ibara ya 9(c), (d), (h) na (i) ambavyo vinasisitiza mali ya umma iwanufaishe wananchi wote," alisema Kiwanga.

Kiwanga alisema kituo kinapinga malipo hiyo kwakuwa hata Serikali iliweka siri katika kuendesha kesi hiyo jambo linalotia shaka hata utetezi wake kama ulizingatia masilahi ya umma.

Naye Dk Mvungi ambaye ndiye wakili aliyeteuliwa kusimamia shauri hilo, alisema kitendo cha Serikali kukubali kulipa deni la Dowans ni ufisadi mwingine na kuwataka Watanzania kuamka kupinga hilo.

Naye Mkurugenzi wa Chama cha Waandishi wa Habari Wanawake Tanzania (Tamwa), Ananilea Nkya alisema suala la Dowans ni ufisadi na usanii wanaofanyiwa Watanzania na kutaka waamke ili kupinga suala hilo kwa nguvu.

Aliomba vyombo vya habari kulichukulia suala hilo kwa uzito unaostahili kwa kuwa jamii ikishirikiana katika kuweka nguvu kuzuia fedha za umma kwenda kwa wachache kifisadi.

Naye Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Mtandao wa Jinsia Tanzania (TGNP), Usu Mallya alisema kitendo cha watu kuwaingiza Watanzania kwenye mikataba feki bila ya kuchukuliwa hatua, kinatia shaka hata katika mkataba huo.

"Waliotushauri kujitoa kwenye mikataba hiyo mibovu leo ndio wanatushinikiza kulipa deni hilo. Hii inatia mashaka, ni vema kundi la watu waliotuingiza kwenye hasara hiyo toka mwanzo, tukawafahamu na wachukuliwe hatua za kisheria," alisema Mallya.

 

[boma2000]

ni bora wafanye hivyo, wakimaliza wafungue kesi nyingine ya kutaka Ngeleja na timu yake waondolewe kwenye uongozi maana kazi imewazidi

 

[Tekelinalokujia]

Mzimu wa Richmond huooooo unarudi tena, tatizo serekali ya TZ ina allergy na uwajibikaji, makosa lukuki na mengi ya kizembe na ya hasara kubwa kwa taifa lakini hakuna anaewajibika/wajibishwa.

 

[zomba]

Hivi hawa majaji walioamuwa kesi ya Dowans ni wapi walipokosea?

 

[Bluebird]

Hivi hawa majaji walioamuwa kesi ya Dowans ni wapi walipokosea?

Hivi wewe Zomba lengo lako hapa JF ni nini? Sijawahi kukuona hata siku moja umeweka posting yenye lengo la kujenga Tanzania. Naona unaweka post ili watu wakubishie ndio ufurahi lakini sioni kama una lengo lolote la kuendeleza nchi yetu.

 

[zomba]

Hivi wewe Zomba lengo lako hapa JF ni nini? Sijawahi kukuona hata siku moja umeweka posting yenye lengo la kujenga Tanzania. Naona unaweka post ili watu wakubishie ndio ufurahi lakini sioni kama una lengo lolote la kuendeleza nchi yetu.

Nchi haiwezi kuendelea kwa kurekebisha makosa ya wizi kwa wizi. Ikiwa tunapigania haki basi lazima tuwe kama msumeno wa mbao. Hebu jibu hoja na kama huna la kujibu kaa kimya.

Muono wangu na wako ni tofauti, kwani, labda wewe unaona raha kudhulumu, mimi hapana.

Nimeuliza swali simpo hapo juu, nikitegema jibu, walipokose ni hapa. Au hawajakosea ili tuendelee, leo wewe umeamuwa usijibu hoja kwa sababu tu hujaona walipokosea ICC na sasa unanishambulia mimi binafsi. Mimi si ICC niliyetowa hiyo hukumu. Naomba jibu hoja ya msingi kama una jibu na kama hauna kaa kimya, si lazima.

 

[FarLeftist]

This is a good move, lakini bado nawasiwasi kama mahakama yoyote inaweza kujtengua hukumu ya ICC, so kinachotakiwa hapa ni kukomaa na serekali yetu mpaka kieleweke na sio kufocus kwenye hukumu ya ICC

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

LHRC files case against paying Dowans 97bn/-




By Lazaro Felix



12th January 2011

Legal and Human Rights Centre board member Dr Edmund Sengondo Mvungi talks to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Others are LHRC Director Francis Kiwanga and TAMWA Executive Director Ananilea Nkya.


Tanesco and Dowans` issue took a new twist yesterday after the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) filed a case at the High Court to block the government's decision to pay the power firm 97bn/-.
According to the LHRC Executive Director Francis Kiwanga, the High Court (Commercial Division) was expected to set up the date and appoint a judge for the hearing of the case tomorrow.
"In our application, we asked the High Court to speed up hearing of the case. We hope it will do so…we are now waiting for instructions on Thursday," he noted.
"We are challenging the hefty compensation…it is a huge amount of money, which is unfair to pay to Dowans," Kiwanga told a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The LHRC has contracted a prominent constitutional lawyer and university lecturer, Dr Sengondo Mvungi to represent them in court.
The latest move by lawyers and activists from the LHRC comes a few days after the government through the Ministry of Energy and Minerals agreed to pay Dowans the money as compensation for breach of the contract by Tanesco.
The government's stance to compensate Dowans has attracted a fierce condemnation from legislators and civil society organisations. A few days ago, the Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja said: "The ministry has agreed to pay Dowans as per the ruling of the International Chamber of Commercial (ICC)."
The ICC ordered the state-run power firm, Tanesco, to pay Dowans 97bn/- for breach of contract - a ruling which is now being disputed by the LHRC as unfair and unjustifiable.
Kiwanga criticised elements of secrecy in the Tanesco-Dowans case, saying members of the public were not informed about the filing and hearing of the case at the ICC.
"The members of the public heard about the case after the ruling by the ICC. Why they made it secret?" queried Kiwanga.
He explained that there were civil societies currently working for the welfare of Tanzanians and promised the centre to maintain the spirit by challenging the ICC ruling the High Court. "LHRC and other organisations played an active in role in saving millions of Tanzanian taxpayers' money in the case between the City Water and government case some years ago."
He faulted the government's decision to pay Dowans before considering other legal options to save taxpayers' money.
Kiwanga pointed out that Tanesco should not pay even a single cent to Dowans, blaming the government for ignoring the Parliamentary report on the capacity and competence of Richmond/Dowans.
"Ignoring the Parliamentary report on the Richmond Company is itself against the rule of law, pillars of democracy and public interest," said Kiwanga.
Meanwhile, Dr Sengondo Mvungi asked the government to respect the Parliamentary decision on the Richmond/Dowans issue.
"The Parliament through its committee, which probed the issue, said the Richmond contract was null and void and thus unenforceable. This should be respected by the government," said Dr Mvungi
He explained that the Tanzania High Court (Commercial Division) would have to say if it supported the ICC to exploit Tanzanians or defended them since the government's decision in the case was to pay the billions of money, while citizens were starving from poor services.
Tanzania Media Women's Association (Tamwa) executive director Ananilea Nkya said:
"We should work collectively to make sure Tanesco does not pay the compensation to Dowans," said Nkya.
She said it was a pity to see that the government was not ready even to appeal against the ICC ruling, a situation she explained as the government's failure to be accountable to the people, who elected its leaders.



SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN