Chande refutes peerage scam
GLADYS FAHARI
Daily News On Saturday; Saturday,December 16, 2006 @00:08
http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=4897
SIR Andy Chande
A PROMINENT Dar es Salaam businessman, Sir Andy Chande, has refuted claims that he is being investigated by British police in connection with the ‘cash for honours' scandal.
Sir Chande told the Daily News on Saturday' yesterday that his Honorary Knighthood came as a pleasant surprise.
Sir Chande's rebuttal comes as British police on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Tony Blair as part of the ongoing criminal investigations into the honours allegations.
The investigations started in March, this year, by the Metropolitan Police, and are aimed at establishing a connection between peerage nominations by the Labour government and
contributions to party funds by the nominated persons.
Sir Chande added: "I never expected the Honorary
Knighthood but it was a welcome surprise considering that very few people have been awarded such title."
It is still unclear whether there should be a citation for such knighthood or if other knights of British nationality carry
citations.
"I am not sure about the citation and if at all there was one. I'm sure I would have received a copy," Sir Chande said.
Asked if he has been contacted by British police or whether he has been questioned in connection with the 'cash for honours'
scandal, Sir Chande said that no one has contacted
him about that matter.
He added: "I have not been contacted by British police on any matter. And I do not think they will because I have done nothing wrong."
Sir Chande also explained that he does not know for sure what criterion is used to nominate and name knights and who does
it.
The 'cash for honours' scandal has uncovered that all businessmen who gave the Labour Party contributions of over 1million pounds were granted an honorary knighthood.
There are claims that Sir Chande is one of the businessmen currently being investigated by British police for being
named a knight under dubious circumstances. All concerned
in the wrongdoing have denied the claims and none has been charged yet.
The British inquiry is taking a dual approach, looking at the 2005 working peerages list and any offences in that period
relating to the 1925 Honours (Prevention of Abuse)
Act and the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum
Act 2000, which covers party funding and the presentation of accounts.
The inquiry is in its last stages and it expects to be concluded by January.
A spokesman for Mr Blair said the prime minister had denied that peerages had been offered for sale.
The prime minister was interviewed as a witness without the presence of a lawyer. His spokesman said that Mr Blair explained to the police why four businessmen had been nominated for peerages, and insisted that giving money to a
political party should not prevent someone from receiving an honour.
Sir Andy Chande is a prominent Tanzanian businessman,
philanthropist and a freemason. Born in Mombasa, Kenya, in 1929, Sir Jayantilal Chande has been active in social and
business life for over half a century.
In August 2003, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II conferred on him a Knighthood and in 2004, the President of India, Dr APJ
Abdul Kalam, honoured him with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.
Sir Andy became a Freemason on October 25, 1954 and rose through the organisation's ranks to become its East Africa's
chief. He was appointed District Grandmaster for East Africa in 1996, a position he holds today. In its ranks he has reached the degree of the 'Most Excellent Master.'