Drama as Mp Seleli challenges Lowassa
2008-02-08 09:06:55
By Guardian Reporter
A hushed Parliament was yesterday treated to breathtaking drama when Nzega MP Lucas Seleli, who is a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Richmond power generating contract, took to the podium to tear apart earlier allegations made by Prime Minister Edward Lowassa that the committee had condemned him unheard, fabricated the allegations on his complicity in the controversial deal and annexed clippings from yellow tabloids as part of the testimonies presented to the House.
Prime Minister Edward Lowassa had made the allegations when he was announcing his resignation during the morning Bunge session.
Looking composed and bidding his time, Seleli said the committee comprised competent persons who done their homework, that there was documentary evidence to implicate the PM, and that there was no single attachment in the select committee`s findings that was from the gutter press.
Seleli said the committee had not lied. He challenged the Prime Minister to withdraw his allegations, short of which he would seek the application of Parliamentary Standing Orders to compel the Prime Minister to apologize.
House Speaker Sawel Sitta somehow eased the challenge when he asked the MP to confine his demand to the Prime Minister`s concern that the charges made by the probe team against him were fabricated.
When Lowassa rose to respond to Seleli`s demand that he withdraws his remarks, he said a line that was contained in the report that had particularly disturbed him was to the effect that ``the proprietors of Richmond are Prime Minister Lowassa and his close friend (Igunga MP) Rostam Aziz.``
Nevertheless, the Speaker skillfully sidestepped Seleli`s demands by inviting other MPs to contribute to the debate on the probe team?s findings.