MPs hail Mengi on corruption `sharks`

[BAK]

MPs hail Mengi on corruption `sharks`

2009-04-25 14:05:19
By Bilham Kimati, Dodoma​

An array of Members of Parliament have hailed IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi for naming five of what he called the key grand corruption ``sharks`` in Tanzania.

The legislators said in separate interviews here yesterday that Mengi had made a bold move which would pave the way for a more vigorous war on corruption in the country.

Shoka Khamis Juma (Micheweni - CUF), who is also shadow minister for Good Governance (President`s Office), called on all well-meaning Tanzanians to stand behind the IPP Executive Chairman ``at all costs because he has done what the official organs responsible for forestalling and combating corruption and other vices have failed to do``.

``We wholeheartedly support Mr Mengi because we believe that he has named those sharks in the full knowledge there are still more sharks and even whales in the ocean that must be exposed as well,`` said the MP, citing a popular Kiswahili saying.

``There is a sophisticated syndicate of corrupt sharks that has been systematically siphoning the resources of this country. We must fight corruption. Mr Mengi has gone a courageous step ahead of us, and we rally behind him,`` he added, speaking from the Parliamentary grounds.

The legislator, who is here for a scheduled two-week meeting of the National Assembly, stated that the war on corrupt would be far off target unless “the big sharks and the whales” were also exposed, arrested and brought to justice.

``That would be the best way of acknowledging Mr Mengi`s exemplary contribution to the war effort and congratulating him on a patriotic duty fulfilled with dignity,`` he said, pledging unwavering support for the IPP Executive Chairman.

The opposition leader, who made his remarks soon after the routine morning `Q & A` session in the presence of several opposition party members, said he was convinced that the `sharks` named by Mr Mengi at a news conference in Dar es Salaam on Thursday were not acting in isolation.

He pointed out that he was ``both baffled and shocked by the dead silence maintained by the authorities concerned on various issues of national interest``.

According to the MP, the evils perpetrated or fuelled by corrupt elements in society ``have so tarnished our country``s image that protecting the few individuals behind them will surely ruin our entire nation``.

Elaborating, Juma said China was making tremendous progress economically and otherwise because corruption was not being given breathing space.

``The list of the scandalous transactions and procurements involving the corrupt individuals is known. Time has come for patriotic wananchi to expose all prime suspects, including those still in on the run,`` he added.

He called on the authorities concerned to act on the matter without hesitation ``to save the lives of millions of innocent poor families impoverished by the corrupt elements in our communities``.

Dr Willibroad Slaa (Karatu & Chadema), a fiery anti-corruption crusader, also expressed unreserved support for Mengi``for having made bold and historic strides in the war on grand corruption``.

He said the list of corrupt `sharks` issued by the IPP Executive Chairman was that of notorious corrupt elements he knew very well and that, with Mengi`s memorable intervention, he too had gained new strength with which to sustain the momentum.

``Mengi has done the right thing. He has shown the way. Corrupt elements are not ashamed of their disgraceful deeds to the nation and what he has done is the ideal treatment they deserve,`` he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Raphael Chegeni (Busega - CCM) said Mengi`s remarks at the Dar es Salaam news conference was so relevant and substantive that the government ought to take them seriously and work on them.

``I am not sure whether his remarks will not be ignored… But this is an extremely serious matter and it should be dealt with appropriately for the good of our country and its people,`` he said.

However, some MPs interviewed said they had noted that Mengi had declared that the number of grand corruption suspects did not exceed ten but he had named only half of them.

They said it would be even better for the country if the names of the rest were also made public.

At Thursday`s news conference, Mengi named five people he described as ``notoriously corrupt sharks`` and urged the public to invest more courage in efforts to rid Tanzania of corruption, which he said was eating the country`s resources and stealing the people`s precious time.

He said the country was currently facing a big problem of grand corruption and was troubled by the fact that the people involved in acts of corruption did not want to be touched.

Mengi stated that the ``notoriously corrupt people`` were involved in almost all scandals that have happened in the country, including Richmond, Bank of Tanzania`s external payment arrears account (EPA), Dowans, military helicopters and vehicles, the Presidential jet, radar, National Social Security Fund, Public Service Pension Fund, and National Lottery.

Efforts to contact the five `sharks` named for comment failed yesterday, as they we were permanently not reachable by phone.

SOURCE: Guardian

 

[Kituko]

tatizo isije ikawa ni maneno tu, kama wabunge wana nguvu ya kusimama kama Mengi, basi wajitoe muhanga na wawahamasishe watu ili kama ni mass movement zifanyike NA KAMA MBWAI BASI IWE MBWAI

 

[Lambardi]

Wabunge wenyewe vibogoyo....hawana meno

 

[Lambardi]

Wabunge wenyewe vibogoyo....hawana meno

 

[BAK]

Huge support for Mengi`s anti-corruption crusade

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam ​

A STRONG flow of support from politicians and members of the public has been coming in for IPP Limited Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi following his decision to take the anti-graft war a step further and publicly name five prominent local personalities as allegedly the main 'sharks of corruption.'

Members of Parliament, human rights activists, and ordinary men and women in the streets have rallied behind Mengi and saluted him for the move, which University of Dar es Salaam law lecturer Dr Sengondo Mvungi for one described as ''bold''.

''Other like-minded Tanzanians ought to follow suit. There is a need to have more than a hundred Mengis to spearhead the national fight against corruption, which is now becoming endemic,'' said Dr Mvungi in an interview with THISDAY.

''The society in its entirety should join Mengi's efforts in the war for justice because such efforts are intended to free our nation from the shackles of corruption,'' he added.

He noted that while businessmen tended to be only concerned with their own affairs, Mengi ''is always thinking about the troubles facing the society at large, because he knows that it is the same society that has contributed to his (business) success.''

Karatu Member of Parliament Dr Wilbrod Slaa (CHADEMA) - who famously came forward with a corruption figureheads 'List of Shame' at a public rally in Dar es Salaam last year � also spoke out in support of Mengi's anti-graft efforts.

He backed the IPP chairman on the five named local businessmen alleged to be the true 'sharks of corruption' in the country, saying they were all indeed suspect.

Dr Slaa remarked that the efforts of people like Mengi will go a long way to revitalize the fight against grand corruption and sustain the current momentum.

''He has done absolutely the right thing. He has shown the way. Corrupt elements are not ashamed of their shameful deeds to the nation, therefore this is the kind of treatment they deserve,'' the legislator said.

The opposition camp in parliament has also strongly supported the move by Mengi, saying the courageous initiative is expected to pave the way for a fresh onslaught against grand corruption in the country.

The opposition shadow minister for the President's Office (Good Governance), Micheweni MP Shoka Khamis Juma (CUF) said Mengi should be supported at all cost as he has done what responsible organs like the police have failed to do.

''We in the opposition camp support him with all our strength and mind...in fact we believe that while he has named sharks, there are also whales in the ocean that must be exposed as well,'' Juma said.

''There is an intricate syndicate siphoning the resources of this country. We have to fight this syndicate in the manner that Mengi is doing,'' he added.

The Micheweni MP recalled a Swahili saying: ''Avumae baharini papa, na wengine wapo'' literally meaning although sharks appear to exercise control in the ocean, there are other big fish as well.

Juma, who was in the company of some opposition members at the Bunge grounds, asserted it was not possible that the named 'sharks' acted in isolation.

He questioned the rationale for the silence maintained by concerned authorities on issues of national interest like corruption, adding that the image of the country has already been so badly tarnished by a few corrupt individuals that trying to protect them now would be ruinous.

''China is making tremendous progress because corruption is not given a breathing space,'' he said.

He argued that since most of the scandalous transactions and procurements so far undertaken are now well-known to the general public, it's about time to expose the suspects including those still in hide.

Addressing a news conference in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, Mengi said the country is facing serious problems due to grand corruption and the fact that notoriously corrupt people are being allowed to get away with it.

He said while there are no more than ten people being accused of being especially corrupt in the country, only five of these fit in the category of 'corruption sharks.

He named them as Rostam Aziz, Tanil Somaiya, Yusuf Manji, Jeethu Patel and Subash Patel, said to be responsible for huge national corruption scandals including the Richmond and Dowans emergency power generation contracts, the Bank of Tanzania External payment areas account (EPA) embezzlement, purchases of military helicopters and vehicles, the presidential jet, radar, NSSF, PSPF and National Lottery scandals.

The IPP chairman's declaration has stirred a heated public debate across the nation and in some online public forums such as www.jamiiforums.com, where hundreds of people posted their views.

Most commentators appeared to be supporting the new anti-corruption push.

 

[Rodelite]

The so called "STRONG flow of support from politicians and members of the public" has so far been "vocal".
I would like to see more "Action" to get deep into this issue by "responsible authorities" and eventually "Legal action" in order to recover what these "Sharks" took....and then put them behind bars where they belong......This will be a great lesson to other Sharks wanna-bees.

 

[ubun2]

So what happened here, why no action taken against the corrupt sharks?

" There is an intricate syndicate siphoning the resources of this country. We have to fight this syndicate in the manner that Mengi is doing,'' he added.

The Micheweni MP recalled a Swahili saying: ''Avumae baharini papa, na wengine wapo'' literally meaning although sharks appear to exercise control in the ocean, there are other big fish as well.


Bwana MP is right in his above statement. There is an intricate syndicate stealing TZ funds. Just look at the Valambhia case, a special project of fewTZ officials and their friends and yet NO one cares to stop this daylite robbery. There is proof, evidence, judgements from the highest court of land, yet a case on a dead person keeps plodding along, and money flows out of BoT into pockets of fewTZ officials & friends. When an article was published revealing the corruption, the article was immediately suppressed.

 

[Ziada Mwana]

So what happened here, why no action taken against the corrupt sharks?

" There is an intricate syndicate siphoning the resources of this country. We have to fight this syndicate in the manner that Mengi is doing,’’ he added.

The Micheweni MP recalled a Swahili saying: ’’Avumae baharini papa, na wengine wapo’’ literally meaning although sharks appear to exercise control in the ocean, there are other big fish as well.


Bwana MP is right in his above statement. There is an intricate syndicate stealing TZ funds. Just look at the Valambhia case, a special project of fewTZ officials and their friends and yet NO one cares to stop this daylite robbery. There is proof, evidence, judgements from the highest court of land, yet a case on a dead person keeps plodding along, and money flows out of BoT into pockets of fewTZ officials & friends. When an article was published revealing the corruption, the article was immediately suppressed.

Basi mengine hata yakiwa yameandikwa kwenye magazeti ya kiingereza waleta hoja muzilete kwa lugha ya "Mama" wengine sisi ni "Maimuna"

 

[Nikupateje]

Basi mengine hata yakiwa yameandikwa kwenye magazeti ya kiingereza waleta hoja muzilete kwa lugha ya Mama wengine sisi ni Maimuna

Hajaandika kifaransa. Ndipo hapo tujue tumejichanganya na watu wa aima gani.