ROW AS ISLES MINISTER IS FIRED OVER BRIBERY
A Member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives for Kitope Constituency on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi ticket, Mr Makame Mshimba Mbarouk, on Friday evening, refused to apologize to the Minister of Sate in the President's Office, Dr Mwinyihaji Makame Mwadini, over his outburst in the House.
"Come what may, I will not apologize for my statement, since the House, led by ministers, have refused to support my motion for the formation of a probe team to investigate corruption allegations in the municipal council," said Mshimba, literary causing both embarrassment and humour in the House.
Debating the House's committee report on 'Zanzibar top leaders' offices performances and functions,' earlier in the day, Mshimba alleged that authorities in the municipal council, a Minister and a Principal Secretary (without naming them) "were bribed" in a deal to allow mobile phone companies to display adverts in the Stone Town streets.
He said that Zantel had signed a 700m/- agreement with the municipal council to be allowed to display its adverts in the streets, but "surprisingly" in the course of implementation Zantel workers were not allowed to fix the adverts.
Instead, it was Tigo adverts that were fixed with no clear explanation amid allegations that some authorities had been bribed to block Zantel's adverts.
Mshimba's allegation sparked a heated debate in the House with Ismail Jussa Ladu (CUF - Mjimkongwe), Mr Hija Hassan Hija (CUF - Kiwani), and Salmin Awadhi Salmin (CCM - Magomeni) supporting the demand for the formation of House Probe team.
It was alleged that corruption in Municipal Council was rampant. The minister responsible for municipal matters, Dr Mwinyihaji Makame Mwadini, admitted that there were suspicious deals in the municipal council and that his office was already working on the problems.
However, he categorically denied that the Minister and Principal Secretary received bribes in advertisement deals.
"These are malicious allegations against my office. The House member should prove his statement or ask for apology as par House regulations. It is not acceptable to accuse a senior minister without giving evidence," the visibly angry Dr Mwinyihaji demanded.
An exchange of nasty words including calling each other a liar, between Mshimba and the minister went on for some time.
The situation prompted the 'newly elected House chairperson' Mr Mahmoud Mohamed Mussa to seek help from Mr Abubakar Khamis Bakar, Minister for Constitution and Legal Services in managing the evening session in the absence of both speaker Mr Pandu Ameir Kificho and deputy Speaker Abdallah Ali Abdallah.
Mr Mshimba stood firm that he could not apologize as he demanded the formation of House probe team. Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi, Zanzibar's Second Vice-President and head of government business in the House, intervened unsuccessfully.
He tried to convince the backbenchers to drop their demand for the formation of the probe team, promising that the government would investigate and take appropriate measures.
At last the House chairperson decided to ask the divided legislators, each, to vote, by speaking out loud, in support for or against the formation of a probe team, where those (including all ministers) opposing the probe team won with 39 votes against 20.
Further efforts to reduce tension in the House saw Dr Mwinyihaji withdraw his demand for an apology from Mr Mshimba.
"I forgive you although the bribe accusation against me pains a lot. Let us go on and still promise that my office will continue investigating all the allegations in the Municipal Council."
A Member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives for Kitope Constituency on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi ticket, Mr Makame Mshimba Mbarouk, on Friday evening, refused to apologize to the Minister of Sate in the President's Office, Dr Mwinyihaji Makame Mwadini, over his outburst in the House.
"Come what may, I will not apologize for my statement, since the House, led by ministers, have refused to support my motion for the formation of a probe team to investigate corruption allegations in the municipal council," said Mshimba, literary causing both embarrassment and humour in the House.
Debating the House's committee report on 'Zanzibar top leaders' offices performances and functions,' earlier in the day, Mshimba alleged that authorities in the municipal council, a Minister and a Principal Secretary (without naming them) "were bribed" in a deal to allow mobile phone companies to display adverts in the Stone Town streets.
He said that Zantel had signed a 700m/- agreement with the municipal council to be allowed to display its adverts in the streets, but "surprisingly" in the course of implementation Zantel workers were not allowed to fix the adverts.
Instead, it was Tigo adverts that were fixed with no clear explanation amid allegations that some authorities had been bribed to block Zantel's adverts.
Mshimba's allegation sparked a heated debate in the House with Ismail Jussa Ladu (CUF - Mjimkongwe), Mr Hija Hassan Hija (CUF - Kiwani), and Salmin Awadhi Salmin (CCM - Magomeni) supporting the demand for the formation of House Probe team.
It was alleged that corruption in Municipal Council was rampant. The minister responsible for municipal matters, Dr Mwinyihaji Makame Mwadini, admitted that there were suspicious deals in the municipal council and that his office was already working on the problems.
However, he categorically denied that the Minister and Principal Secretary received bribes in advertisement deals.
"These are malicious allegations against my office. The House member should prove his statement or ask for apology as par House regulations. It is not acceptable to accuse a senior minister without giving evidence," the visibly angry Dr Mwinyihaji demanded.
An exchange of nasty words including calling each other a liar, between Mshimba and the minister went on for some time.
The situation prompted the 'newly elected House chairperson' Mr Mahmoud Mohamed Mussa to seek help from Mr Abubakar Khamis Bakar, Minister for Constitution and Legal Services in managing the evening session in the absence of both speaker Mr Pandu Ameir Kificho and deputy Speaker Abdallah Ali Abdallah.
Mr Mshimba stood firm that he could not apologize as he demanded the formation of House probe team. Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi, Zanzibar's Second Vice-President and head of government business in the House, intervened unsuccessfully.
He tried to convince the backbenchers to drop their demand for the formation of the probe team, promising that the government would investigate and take appropriate measures.
At last the House chairperson decided to ask the divided legislators, each, to vote, by speaking out loud, in support for or against the formation of a probe team, where those (including all ministers) opposing the probe team won with 39 votes against 20.
Further efforts to reduce tension in the House saw Dr Mwinyihaji withdraw his demand for an apology from Mr Mshimba.
"I forgive you although the bribe accusation against me pains a lot. Let us go on and still promise that my office will continue investigating all the allegations in the Municipal Council."
