CCM members in mega scandals to face music

[BAK]

CCM members in mega scandals to face music

By Tom Mosoba, Dodoma
THE CITIZEN

CCM has resolved that all its members implicated in corruption scandals be held responsible for their misdeeds.

They should face the music according to the laws and CCM will take disciplinary action according to its constitutions.

CCM national publicity secretary John Chiligati said the decision was arrived at a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee and its members of Parliament yesterday in Dodoma.

He briefed journalists after the daylong meeting chaired by the party chairman, Mr Jakaya Kikwete.

The meeting reviewed the Government performance for the first half of its five-year term of governing the country.

He said that the meeting discussed the Richmond and External Payment Arrears (EPA) scandals that have blotted the Government image and shook the party to some extent.

They [scandals] were turbulent and have rocked our ship but they did not stop us from sailing, he said. Members welcomed the steps taken by Government to address the two issues and have recommended that appropriate legal steps be taken against anyone implicated in them.

He said Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda would table in the National Assembly a report on steps taken by the Government on recommendations of a probe team on the Richmond scam.

He said the meeting also heard progress of the EPA investigations.
He believes that President Kikwete will take action against the culprits.

Mr Chiligati said the meeting gave opportunity to members to raise pertinent issues of their party's interest. They also discussed the witchcraft claim in the House.
He said the suspected MP and those who witnessed the incident spoke before the members about the matter.

According to initial reports, the said member who used to seat in the front bench was being shown where to sit and some three MPs who were in the House then testified as well and said they had not seen anything relating to witchcraft, said Mr Chiligati.

He denied that the party was divided. The party is big and strong nothing will make it Fall apart, he said.

He noted that individuals might go but the party of four million would remain strong.

He said the party organ told the Government to concentrate on delivering on party promises to win in the 2010 general elections.

He said all members had been asked to be keen on agriculture the only area which the Government had performed below its expectations.

There have been political undercurrents within CCM, following investigations the Government ordered into the EPA and Ruchmond scandals.

The Parliamentary Select Committee which investigated the Richmond scandal, led to the resignation of Mr Edward Lowassa as the prime minister, appeared to have polarised the ruling party.
The then minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr Nazir Karamagi, and his predecessor Dr Ibrahim Msabaha also resigned.

Some party cadres have called for expulsions from the party of all officials who have been implicated in the scandals to protect the good image of the ruling party.

Former Infrastructure Development minister Andrew Chenge, who resigned over allegations of ownership of a $1 million in a suspicious overseas account being linked to bribery during the purchase of the $40 million radar is one of the officials targeted in the expulsion call.

The UK's Serious Fraud Office is investigating the ex-minister over the bribery allegations, which he has denied.

 

[BAK]

CCM yayumba

na Mwandishi Wetu, Dodoma
Tanzania Daima~Sauti ya watu

HALI ya mambo si shwari ndani ya Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Jana, Katibu wa Itikadi na Uenezi wa chama hicho, Kapteni John Chiligati, alikiri kuwa ufisadi umekiyumbisha chama hicho.

Wakati Chiligati akikiri hivyo, tofauti za wazi na za moja kwa moja baina ya makada mahiri wa chama hicho nazo zimeanza kujionyesha dhahiri, huku baadhi ya wanachama wakimpinga wazi wazi Katibu Mkuu wa chama hicho, Yusuf Makamba, na kutaka aondolewe katika wadhifa huo.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari baada ya kikao maalumu kilichowakutanisha wabunge na wajumbe wa Halmashauri Kuu (NEC) ya chama hicho, Chiligati alikiri kuyumba kwa CCM katika siku za hivi karibuni kutokana na kashfa kadhaa.

Alisema kashfa zilizokiyumbisha chama hicho ni pamoja na ile inayohusiana na mchakato wa kandarasi ya kampuni ya kufua umeme wa dharura ya Richmond.

Aliitaja kashfa nyingine kuwa ni ile ya wizi wa mabilioni ya fedha kutoka katika akaunti ya malipo ya madeni ya nje (EPA) na Benki Kuu (BoT).

Chiligati alikiri kuwa, kikao kilichofanyika jana kilibaini kuwa kashfa hizo, na nyingine kadhaa, zimepunguza kwa kiasi kikubwa imani ya wananchi juu wa chama hicho.

Alisema kilichokitikisa chama hicho ni kuhusishwa kwa viongozi kadhaa na makada wa chama hicho, ambao walikuwa pia viongozi wa serikali.

Hata hivyo, alisema chama hicho kimeweza kuidhibiti hali hiyo, sasa kinajipanga upya ili kurejesha imani ya wananchi kwa chama hicho, tayari kwa uchaguzi mkuu wa mwaka 2010.

Chiligati alisema kuwa kikao hicho kimekubaliana kuwa wanachama wote ambao watabainika kuhusika katika kashfa za Richmond na EPA, wachukuliwe hatua stahiki, ikiwamo ya kufukuzwa kwenye chama na kufikishwa kwenye vyombo vya sheria.

Alisema kinachosubiriwa hivi sasa ni ripoti ya utekelezaji wa mapendekezo ya kamati ya Bunge kuhusiana na sakata la Richmond, ambayo imefanyiwa kazi na timu maalumu iliyoundwa na Waziri Mkuu, Mizengo Pinda.

Alisema pia kuwa chama hicho kinasubiri ripoti itakayotolewa na timu iliyoundwa na Rais Jakaya Kikwete, kuchunguza sakata la EPA, kabla ya kuchukua hatua kwa watakaoonekana kuhusika.

"Kama ilivyo kwenye mchezo wa mpira, kunakuwa na matukio mengi, hivi sasa tupo kwenye half time (kipindi cha mapumziko)… lakini tupo kwenye mwelekeo mzuri," alisema Chiligati.

Hata hivyo, alipotakiwa kuwataja wanachama ambao wapo hatarini kufukuzwa, Chiligati alikataa kufanya hivyo, kwa maelezo kuwa taarifa kamili juu ya suala hilo itatolewa baada ya kukamilika kwa mchakato wa uchunguzi unaoendelea kuhusiana na masuala hayo mawili.

Sakata la Kampuni ya kufua umeme ya Richmond, lililochunguzwa na kamati teule ya Bunge iliyoongozwa na Dk. Harrison Mwakyembe (Kyela-CCM), ndilo lililosababisha kujiuzulu kwa aliyewahi kuwa waziri mkuu, Edward Lowassa na kusababisha kuvunjika kwa Baraza la Mawaziri Februari mwaka huu.

Aidha, pamoja na Lowassa, ripoti ya kamati hiyo ilisababisha pia aliyekuwa waziri wa Nishati na Madini, Nazir Karamagi na waziri wa Afrika Mashairki, Dk. Ibrahim Msabaha, nao kujiuzulu baada ya kutajwa kuhusika kwa namna moja au nyingine na mchakato wa kuipatia kampuni hiyo kandarasi katika mazingira ya kutatanisha.

Akimzungumzia Lowassa, baada ya kuulizwa na waandishi kuwa ni mmoja wa viongozi walio hatarini kufukuzwa, Chiligati alisema kuwa hata katika ripoti hiyo hakumuona akiwa anahusika moja kwa moja, na ndiyo maana ilipendekeza yeye mwenyewe apime uzito wa suala hilo na kuchukua hatua zinazofaa.

Alisema wengi walioonekana kuhusika moja kwa moja na Richmond ni wasaidizi wa aliyekuwa waziri mkuu huyo, ingawa yeye mwenyewe aliamua kujiuzulu kutokana na kuwajibika kwa makosa yaliyofanywa na watu aliokuwa anapaswa kusimamia utendaji wao.

Chiligati alisema kuwa wajumbe wa NEC waliwamwagia sifa viongozi kadhaa walioachia ngazi kutokana na kashfa, kwani kitendo hicho kimekipa heshima chama hicho.

Kwa upande mwingine, habari kutoka ndani ya kikao hicho zinaeleza kuwa baadhi ya wajumbe walikuja juu, na wakaeleza wazi wazi kutokuwa na imani na Makamba, na kupendekeza aondolewe kwenye wadhifa huo mara moja.

Wajumbe hao walisema kuwa Makamba amekuwa mbabe mno katika utendaji wake na wakati mwingine anatumia lugha ambazo zinakigawa zaidi chama kuliko kukijenga.

Walisema hali hiyo inahatarisha umoja wa chama na ukichanganya na hali ya kisiasa nchini hivi sasa, kuna hatari chama hicho kikapata wakati mgumu kurejesha imani ya wananchi juu yake.

Walitaka aondolewe kwenye nafasi hiyo wakidai kuwa, licha ya kuwagawa wanachama ndani ya chama, kauli za Makamba wakati mwingine zinafanya kazi ya kukisafisha chama kilichochafuliwa kwa tuhuma za ufisadi kuwa ngumu.

Inadaiwa kuwa kikao hicho ni matunda ya mbinyo wa baadhi ya wabunge, ambao walifikisha ujumbe kwa mwenyekiti wao, Rais Jakaya Kikwete, wakiomba kuitishwa kwa kikao kitakachojadili masuala mazito yanayokikabili chama hivi sasa, lakini yamekuwa yakipigwa danadana.

Habari zilizopatikana kutoka ndani ya kikao hicho, zilieleza kuwa baadhi ya makada walijitoa wazi wazi kueleza kusikitishwa kwao na jinsi ambavyo baadhi ya watuhumiwa wamekuwa wakilindwa ndani ya chama.

Wabunge hao, ambao kwa sasa hatutayataja majina yao, walieleza kuwa uamuzi wa kuendelea kuwakingia kifua wanachama hao wenye kashfa, ambao baadhi yao walishaondolewa au kujiondoa kutoka serikalini, unakichafua chama hicho na kukipa wakati mgumu kutetea masuala yake kwa wananchi, wakati huu ambapo vita dhidi ya ufisadi imegeuka kuwa ajenda ya kila mtu nchini.

Taarifa zilizolifikia gazeti hili zinaeleza kuwa mikakati ya wabunge hao ilianza juzi, ambapo waliomba kikao hicho kwa Mwenyekiti wa CCM Taifa, Rais Jakaya Kikwete, na kumfikishia Makamba ajenda kadhaa.

Mbili kati ya ajenda hizo zilikuwa zinamgusa Makamba. Ajenda moja inadaiwa kumgusa moja kwa moja, kwa kuwa ilikuwa inataka aondolewe kwenye wadhifa huo kutokana na tuhuma kadhaa ambazo kwa sababu hatujazithibitisha hatuwezi kuzitaja kwa sasa.

Aidha, ajenda nyingine ilihusiana na kujadiliwa, kwa lengo la kufukuzwa kutoka katika chama, wanachama wote ambao katika siku za hivi karibuni wamekuwa wakitazamwa na jamii kwa jicho lisilopendeza, kutokana na tuhuma za ufisadi dhidi yao.

Habari kutoka ndani ya kikao hicho zinaeleza zaidi kuwa yaliibuka mabishano makali kutokana na mjadala wa hoja ya Richmond, baada ya Lowassa kusimama na kujitetea kuwa alishatoa ushauri mara mbili mkataba huo uvunjwe lakini alikataliwa.

Baada ya mabishano makali, inadaiwa kuwa Rais Kikwete alilazimika kusimama na kutoa ufafanuzi na kueleza kuwa Lowassa alikuwa na nafasi ya kutoa maelezo na kutojiuzulu nafasi yake, lakini mwenye aliona kujiuzulu ndio uamuzi wa busara.

Kikwete aliwaonya wajumbe kuwa makini wanapojadili suala la giza na umeme na kuwataka iwapo wanataka kufahamu madhara ya kukosa umeme na kuwa gizani, wawaulize watu kutoka Zanzibar.

Alipotoa kauli hiyo, karibu wajumbe wote wa NEC kutoka Zanzibar walisimama, ingawa haikuweza kufahamika mara moja hatua hiyo ililenga nini.

Mjadala huo ulizua pande mbili zinazopingana, ikiwamo kambi inayowatetea kina Lowassa na viongozi wengine waliolazimika kujiuzulu kutokana na kashfa hiyo, na kambi nyingine ikitaka wachukuliwe hatua kali zaidi kwa kukichafua chama kutokana na kuhusika kwao kwenye kashfa hizo.

 

[Hollo]

Watu wanawekana sawa wanaambiwa wanayumba!katika chama ndani yake kuna kila aina ya watu na wenye tabia tofauti!kutokana na kwamba nia ya chama chochote ni kuwa wamoja!hivyo basi kama kuna tatizo watu wanawekana sawa!sijaona kuyumba hapa kwa kweli!