No compromise with PCCB - Sitta

[BAK]

No compromise with PCCB - Sitta



THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Samwel Sitta, has asserted that no compromise has been reached with the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) over the controversial probe into parliamentarians’ expenses.

According to Sitta, the issue was not even part of the agenda during Tuesday’s much-hyped meeting between himself and PCCB director-general Dr Edward Hoseah in Dodoma, where the National Assembly is currently in session.

�It was just a brief meeting...we did not even discuss the matter,� the Speaker told THISDAY when reached for comment yesterday.

Photographs of Sitta and Hoseah in talks at the Bunge office in Dodoma were splashed on the front pages of several local newspapers yesterday amid speculation that the two had managed to work out a mutually-acceptable way forward for the MPs’ expenses investigation.

But Speaker Sitta maintained yesterday that he still opposes arbitrary interrogation of MPs by PCCB officials in the course of investigating reports that some lawmakers have been receiving double payments of allowances for official tasks.

He said proper protocol and procedures need to be adhered to by the PCCB in its interactions with parliamentarians, who are representatives of the wider electorate in the National Assembly.

A number of MPs have complained of being subjected to humiliating questioning by representatives of the government anti-graft watchdog body, leading to speculation in some quarters that the whole thing could be an attempt to intentionally harass or intimidate legislators.

�It is important to distinguish between what an MP does out on the street and what the legislators as a whole do as part of their work in the National Assembly,� Sitta said.

He acknowledged that MPs are indeed not above the law, but stressed that PCCB is also required to work within the bounds of the law.

�No one can just arbitrarily conduct an official inquisition into the workings of parliament as a whole, or a specially-designated or standing parliamentary committee, without liaising with the Bunge office,� the Speaker emphasized.

On the MPs’ expenses probe in particular, he said the Bunge office is presently awaiting further word from the government on how it should be handled.

�As parliament, we have already registered our complaint to the government. We understand that the PCCB director-general also had a long meeting with the prime minister in Dodoma yesterday (Tuesday), so we wait to hear from the government,� he explained.

Although there was no immediate word from Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda yesterday, senior government functionaries who have already spoken on the subject include the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for policy, coordination and parliamentary affairs, Philip Marmo, who faulted PCCB for its approach.

According to Marmo, himself a former deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, PCCB should have conducted its investigation in a quieter and less public fashion, without naming names where not necessary.

�The way the Bureau has gone about this matter has caused considerable embarrassment to those MPs who have been publicly named as being part of the investigation, and subjected to questioning,� the minister remarked.

He said the government has already intervened in the matter and is looking at ways of rectifying the situation, but did not elaborate.

On Monday - the day before he travelled to Dodoma - Hoseah told a news conference at PCCB headquarters in Dar es Salaam that the Bureau�s investigation was based on various reports that MPs were being paid double allowances for doing the same work.

The PCCB boss said according to the reports, legislators who are members of various parliamentary committees are being paid allowances by both the National Assembly itself and the various government ministries, state-run corporations, and government agencies under their committee portfolios.

This, he said, was illegal, hence the investigation. The PCCB boss said the Bureau is only enforcing the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act of 2007, which was approved by parliament itself.

 

[BAK]

2009-11-05 12:34:00
MPs probe called off
By The Citizen Reporters

MPs had the last laugh yesterday, with the revelation that the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) will, after all, not press ahead with its investigation into the alleged fraudulent payment of double allowances to some of them. Impeccable sources in Dodoma told

The Citizen that the anti-corruption agency had stopped its controversial investigation, which had sparked off a war of words between the Legislature, the Executive and the PCCB's directorgeneral, Dr Edward Hoseah.

The sources privy to the discussions in the closed-door meeting on Tuesday between Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, National Assembly Speaker Samuel Sitta, and Dr Hoseah, confirmed that the parties had agreed to call off the investigation indefinitely. That, unfortunately, is the decision the meeting arrived at. Hoseah was not very happy with the development but there is nothing he could do.

He was helpless even though he tried to put on a brave face by saying the inquiry should be continued, said the source, whose identity we cannot reveal due to the position he holds in government, and which does not allow him to speak to the media.

Dropping the investigation will be a big victory for Mr Sitta and the MPs, who have vehemently opposed the PCCB's attempts to get at them for allegedly drawing allowances from Parliament and other agencies, including government ministries, for doing the same assignment as members of several house sector committees.

The move is, however, bound to send shock waves into the anti-corruption and good governance crusaders and a section of the public that feels the MPs should be held to account for possible fraud.

However, in other quarters, it has been felt that the investigation may have been motivated by a bid to muzzle the vocal MPs who have taken the Government head-on over several mega corruption scandals.

Prime Minister Pinda, who last week warned that the Government would not give in to the MPs' pressure to drop the inquiry, was on Tuesday reported to have bought Speaker Sitta's arguments that the investigation would set a dangerous precedent and deal irreparable damage to the relationship between the Executive and Legislature and should, therefore, be dropped.

It is interesting that it is Mr Pinda, who apparently prevailed on Dr Hoseah to drop the initiative, allegedly for the sake of harmony among the MPs and the Government. Mr Sitta is said to have stated that the PCCB investigation had created unnecessary tension in the National Assembly.

Efforts yesterday to reach both Mr Pinda and Mr Sitta for official confirmation on the matter failed.

Dr Hoseah, who on Monday declared at a press conference in Dar es Salaam that he would not be deterred in his bid to unearth the truth, and accused the MPs of practising double standards and seeking to frustrate his work, could not also be reached for comment.

But apparently taking the cue from the recent developments, a meeting of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi MPs on Tuesday night in Dodoma, saw opposing camps intensify attacks on each other over corruption and complaints about the manner in which the government was reportedly treating those perceived not to be toeing the official party line.

But opposition leader James Mbatia denounced the move to place the PCCB under the President's Office.

The NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman told a press conference at his party's offices in Dar es Salaam that the anti-corruption agency was toothless and was bound to act at the behest of the Executive.

Commenting on the PCCB investigation of the MPs, Mr Mbatia warned that the country would go from one crisis to another without any tangible results because CCM is frustrating the bid to overhaul the Constitution to effectively fight corruption and enhance good governance.

Our sources at the CCM caucus said 'war cries' punctuated the deliberations in the closed-door meeting called by the special committee formed by the party's National Executive Council (NEC) in August to look into the source of the bitter rifts among members.

The meeting to quiz the MPs over the conduct was instead turned into a session targeting party secretary-general Yusuf Makamba, who was accused of failing to properly manage CCM affairs.

Some MPs accused Mr Makamba and a Cabinet minister (name withheld) of allowing monied people to buy influence in the party and challenged them to resign from their positions.

But this did not deter the other camp, with a deputy minister trashing the Mwakyembe report on the Richmond scandal that led to the resignation early last year of Mr Edward Lowassa, as the Prime Minister, alongside Cabinet ministers Nazir Karamagi and Ibrahim Msabaha.

He proposed that President Jakaya Kikwete appoint a new committee to revisit the $172.5 million emergency power saga, but his idea was shot down by the majority, who felt it would expose the party' s weakness.

The elders committee, chaired by retired President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, was formed by the NEC to look into the conduct of some MPs, especially those who have been publicly critical of the Government.

The other members are the CCM deputy chairman (Mainland) and former National Assembly Speaker, Mr Pius Msekwa, and the retired East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) Speaker, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana.

During the more than four-hour meeting, which started at 8pm, nearly 10 leaders criticised the CCM members whose names have been associated with various scandals that have rocked the country in the past two years.

Reporting by Peter Nyanje in Dodoma and Mkinga Mkinga and Alex Bitekeye in Dar Probe into MPs allowance payments is called off A man inspects the rear axle that came off a daladala on Kilwa Road in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Nobody was injured in the incident.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

I don't even understand; Hosea amshukuru Mkereme! We said he broke the principle watu wakashabikia tu hapa lakini the law has to be followed even by HOsea. Huwezi kuleta mashtaka au uchunguzi au kuwaita wabunge (summons) wakiwa kwenye kikao bila ruhusa ya Spika. It is that simple. Watu wakabakia kujadili posho tatu nne, tano! You have to defend the principle first, no matter the cost.

 

[Lunyungu]

Mie nasikiliza tu na kukodoa macho hakika maana mambo ni mengi sana .

 

[SMU]

Aah, masikini Hosea!

 

[BAK]

Halafu aliyetoa agizo la kuchunguzwa Wabunge yuko kimyaaaaa! kama kawaida yake! Kikwete for 2010

 

[Buchanan]

Haya yote yasingetokea kama Azimio la Arusha, lenye kuweka "Miiko ya Viongozi" lisingezikwa! Tutaendelea kuona mengi nchi hii!

 

[Buchanan]

I don't even understand; Hosea amshukuru Mkereme! We said he broke the principle watu wakashabikia tu hapa lakini the law has to be followed even by HOsea. Huwezi kuleta mashtaka au uchunguzi au kuwaita wabunge (summons) wakiwa kwenye kikao bila ruhusa ya Spika. It is that simple. Watu wakabakia kujadili posho tatu nne, tano! You have to defend the principle first, no matter the cost.

Mwanakjj hapa hakuna cha principle wala nini, it is simply politics! Ni kama uchunguzi wa Meremeta ulipofunikwa kwa mwavuli wa siri ya usalama ya Taifa and that was the end of story! Kama PM mwenyewe amesema STOP it doesnt necessarily mean that Dr Hoseah was wrong! Huyu PM na serikali yake ni vigeugeu mno, refer ishu ya Mahakama ya Kadhi ambapo mwanzoni alidai hazitaanzishwa kwa kuwa zingeleta fujo lakini baadaye akageuka eti hakusema hivyo! Kuhusu kufuta misamaha ya kodi kwa mashirika ya dini Mr Mkulo ambaye yuko serikali moja na PM aligeuka na kurudisha misamaha! Sasa issue ya posho mbili kwa kazi moja nako tunaona kila dalili ya kugeuka baada ya kutuambia kuwa uchunguzi ulifuata maagizo toka juu (Ikulu)! It is as simple as 1 + 1 = 2! Why then cant you see it that way?

 

[Chechetuka]

PCCB wawe makini ktk kazi zao. Sio vizuri chombo kama hicho kuingia ktk migogoro ya kisiasa. Mimi sioni kama kulikuwa na ulazima wa wao kuwahoji wabunge ktk kipindi hiki wakati bunge linafanya kikao chake. Kwa kuwa wao wapo ktk wilaya zote Tanzania, wangesubiri kikao cha Bunge kiishe, na baada ya hapo wawasubiri wabunge warudi majimboni kwao, then wawatumie maafisa wao wa wilaya kuwahoji.

Maswali yamekuwa mengi hasa pale walipotaka kufanya zoezi hili huku tukisikia kuwa ktk kikao hiki hoja ya Richmond na ya Dr. Hoseah zitajadiliwa. Lakini swali jingine la kujiuliza hapa ni kuwa, hivi ktk posho hizo kuna rushwa? Ni kweli PCCB ndio wanaotakiwa kufanya hivyo na sio vyombo vingine vya dola? Ninachokiona hapa ni kuwa, Taasisi hii ya Kupambana na Kuzuia Rushwa isijigeuze kuwa ndio Ofisi ya Mkurugenzi wa Mashitaka, Mwanasheria Mku na Polisi. Sio kila tuhuma basi zichunguzwe na chombo hiki. Kama wao wenyewe hawataliona hili, basi wajiandae kufarakana na vyombo vingine nilivyovitaja hapo juu.

 

[Chechetuka]

Kumbuka ya kuwa ni Dr. Hoseah ndio aliyekuwa wa kwanza kuisafisha kampuni ya Richmond. Yeye tunasikia alipata nafasi ya kwenda USA kuwahoji akina Gire, na aliporudi akauambia Umma wa Watanania kuwa kampuni hiyo ni SAFI na ktk mchakato wa kuwapata hakukuwa na mianya ya RUSHWA. Je, kauli hiyo anaweza kuirudia leo hii wakati mambo yote yamewekwa hadharani?

 

[Buchanan]

Hivi kwa kuwa Richmond ilikuwa feki, kwa hiyo kuwalipa wabunge posho mbili kwa kazi moja ni sahihi? Pia kwa nini MPs hawakuacha vikao vya Bunge ili wachunguzwe kwanza kwa kuwa uchunguzi ulianza tangu Februari, 2009 na badala yake wao wanaomba waachwe kwanza wamalize kikao cha Bunge? Alternatively, hivi vyombo vingeendelea kila kimoja na kazi yake bila kungojeana! Ni sawa sawa na Mahakama ambayo inaendelea na kesi dhidi ya Mbunge Mramba na Mzee wa Vijisenti bila kudai kwamba mahakama iache kwanza kikao cha Bunge kiishe! It doesnt matter kama Bunge linamchunguza Hoseah ama Hoseah anawachunguza wabunge, the rule of the Game is the same! Kama wabunge wanaona kuna haja ya kungojeana basi wao wangoje kwanza kuchunguzwa kwa wizi wa posho!

 

[Geeque]

Posho mbili inabidi zifutwe mara moja, huo ni UFISADI na UFUJAJI unaofanywa na wabunge kwa kutumia pesa za walipa kodi. Wakati walimu na madaktari wakimbiwa kazi wanazofanya ni za wito kwa hiyo wategemee malipo kidogo huku wabunge wakiwa wanazidi kuinyonya nchi kwa kasi ya juu, tena wengine hawaishi kujifanya eti ni wazalendo wanaopigania maslahi ya nchi kumbe wapo kwa ajili ya kuvimbisha matumbo yao pia.

 

[Bramo]

JK hastahili kupewa muda mwingine,unless atatusababishia machungu makubwa zaid

 

[Lyangalo]

Tunasubiri report ya richmond, then bunge liamue ndo tutajua kama kweli Spika 6 anamaanisha anachokisema.