Dodoma
Virtually every day, there is a new episode of the case of the $122 million (Sh207 billion) escrow money, which was paid to Pan Africa Power Tanzania Limited (PAP) after the company claimed it had acquired 70 per cent of Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL).
Just when the nation thought Parliament had dealt decisively with the matter, another drama reared its head in the House yesterday: Only the report of the Controller and Auditor-General (CAG) would be tabled in Parliament for debate and not the toxic dossier from the anti-corruption squad-the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).
The drama was set off by a section of MPs, who demanded that both reports from the PCCB and CAG be jointly tabled before Parliament.
When the IPTL scam landed in Parliament early this year, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda--who is the leader of government business in the House--ordered CAG and PCCB to investigate the scandal.
Mr Pinda promised that the two reports would be tabled in Parliament for debate.
But now that the investigations are over, Mr Pinda's promise to his colleagues appears too hot to handle. In the light of events in the House yesterday, it appears only one report-the CAG's-will be tabled.
Some MPs sense an attempt to conceal the truth about what really transpired during the transactions that finally led the Central Bank of Tanzania (BoT) to release the money to PAP, a company owned by Kenyan tycoon Harbinder Singh Sethi.
Parliament's Public Accounts (PAC), which is led by Kigoma North MP Zitto Kabwe, is expected to table the CAG's report on the escrow money on November 26. Lawmakers will debate it until November 28.
Immediately after the question-and-answer session yesterday, Mr Ezekiah Wenje (Nyamagana-Chadema) asked Deputy Speaker Job Ndugai to tell the House why the PCCB report on the Tegeta escrow account was not on the programme.
Mr Ndugai responded that the House would debate only the CAG's report because PCCB was still carrying out investigations. Those implicated in the scandal would be dealt with without reference to the House, he added.
The deputy speaker's answers did not go down well with Mr Joshua Nassari (Arumeru-Chadema), who argued that given that it was parliament that ordered investigations into the saga, both reports would have to be tabled in the House.
"We are aware that the PCCB director-general, Dr Edward Hoseah, said in Mwanza a fortnight ago that he had already handed over his report to the Prime Minister," he said. "And we also know that many government officials were implicated in the PCCB report."
According to Mr Nassari, the report had been shelved to protect government officials-including cabinet ministers-for fear that the government could lose some of its ministers, leading to another Cabinet reshuffle.
The Citizen understands that PCCB completed its in-depth report on IPTL in September 2014 after questioning suspects and witnesses in and outside the country. During the Anti-corruption Symposium for Southern African Countries held in Mwanza on November 3, Dr Hosea admitted that he had submitted his final report to the prime minister.
A week later, though, Mr Pinda told the National Assembly that he had not received any report, including that of the CAG. MPs have accused the CAG of deliberately delaying the final report-supposedly to evade debate in the House.
According to the deputy speaker, the Parliamentary Steering Committee chaired by the speaker or deputy speaker was told last week that PCCB only handed over the progress report-which presents a timetable and list of activities from the beginning of investigation to the end.
The government is under pressure as donors continue holding close to Sh1 trillion, arguing that they will not release any funding for the 2014/15 General Budget Support until the outcome of the investigation is made public.
Source:Citizen