Tanzania: President Magufuli sacks Energy Minister, Prof. Muhongo

[Informer]

May 24, 2017

President John Magufuli wants energy and mineral minister Prof Sospeter Muhongo to reconsider his position after he was implicated in the mineral sand saga report.

The president was responding to recommendations made to him in the report by a special committee he formed to investigate gold and cooper consentrate in mineral sand.

“The minister is my friend but I want him to reconsider his position…I am advising him to step down,” said President Magufuli.

The president also dissolved the Tanzania Mineral Audit Agency (TMAA) board of directors. He also suspended TMAA Chief Executive Officer.

The president also revealed that he sacked Energy and Minerals Permanent Secretary Prof Justin Ntalikwa after he lied to the Parliament over the amount of gold and copper concentrate in mineral sand.

UPDATE: Breaking News: - Rais Magufuli atengua uteuzi wa Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, Prof. Muhongo

 

[Mr Q]

this should go further over the issue of reviewing gas&oil contract.

asiishie hapo.


pamoja na hayo pongezi kwa hatua hizo za awali za kurejesha kilicho potea.

 

[mapinduzi daima]

We salute you Mr. President.
10yrs at the helm of Presidency.
Let's all join forces to liberate our country from all hyenas...

 

[Hussein Massanza]

Tanzanian President, John Magufuli asked Mines Minister Sospeter Muhongo to resign after an audit of containers of mineral sands showed exports had been understated.

An investigation initiated by Magufuli in March found that 277 containers held as much as 15.5 metric tons of gold, instead of the 1.1 tons that had been declared, the president said Wednesday in a speech broadcast live on state television. Magufuli also disbanded the Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency’s board, fired its chief executive officer and asked authorities to investigate those responsible.

“I really like Professor Muhongo and he is a friend of mine, but on this he needs to rethink and reassess without delay,” Magufuli said after receiving an audit of the containers seized at the port of Dar es Salaam in March. “I’d like him to resign.”

The containers, which had mineral sands from mines including Buzwagi, were located at a privately run terminal and awaiting customs procedures before being shipped overseas. Tanzania is Africa’s third-biggest gold producer, with companies including AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. and Acacia Mining Plc extracting the metal.

Acacia, which owns the Buzwagi mine, dropped as much as 17 percent to 360.40 pence at 11:22 a.m. in London, the biggest intra-day decline since March 3. The company said it declares fully everything of commercial value and pays appropriate royalties and taxes.

Ban Remains
A ban on unprocessed metals effective March 2 should remain in place, according to the eight-member committee that carried out the investigation. The government should also construct a smelter as soon as possible, it recommended.

“The government should retain the minerals export ban until royalties reflective of the full value of the sands have been paid in full,” said Abdulkarim Mruma, the committee chairman.

The containers held as much as six tons of copper instead of the four tons declared and had many unrecorded minerals including iridium, iron and zinc, Magufuli said.

“We have been given all these natural resources, but we are giving them away for free,” he said. “This pains me a lot. It’s embarrassing.”

Magufuli has also ordered a separate probe into mineral exports over the past 19 years. That report will be ready soon, he said.

Credit: Bloomberg.com

 

[Manbad]

His speech was more patriotic and he has felt incurable pains. He seemed that he wanted to speak more but pains have hindered him. Let's anticipate much from him.

 

[Chakochangu]

Kwa hili nipo na Rais JPM bega kwa bega.

Lakini sijui ile kauli ya kuwalinda watangulizi wake itabaki au itatenguliwa! Maana walikuwa nyuma ya mikataba yote mibovu.

 

[Chakochangu]

Wadau JF walipiga kelele sana kuhusu mikataba ya madini, nishati na gas.

 

[UmkhontoweSizwe]

I salute and fully support you Mr President for all the steps you're taking to bring back discipline in our country. Keep it up, don't listen to the wapingaji na noise makers, their goal is to distract you so they can get something to say and brag about.

All they do is for their personal interest and benefits, but you're a real mzalendo of this country and you do this for us, the people.

God bless you.

 

[Ngigana]

We salute you Mr. President.
10yrs at the helm of Presidency.
Let's all join forces to liberate our country from all hyenas...

...and all hyenas should be forced to pay all that they have swallowed over the years!

 

[Benny Haraba]

We need open :EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT. AND. MINE OPERATING AGREEMENTS

 

[okyoma]

Mimi ni anti-CCm and magufuli but for this namupongeza huyu Nyanda, kwa juhudi aliyoianzisha kupambana na mafisadi waliyokuwa wamejificha kwenye mgongo wa watumishi wa serikali na asiishie hapo afike na kwenye Gas ambako kuna madudu kwelikweli(Hati za dharula).

 

[Jamaa_Mbishi]

Kamata pia Mkapa na Kikwete.....sacking Muhongo itself is nothing. LAZIMA ukamate hao marais waliopita na mawaziri wao husika.

 

[Benny Haraba]

Kamata pia Mkapa na Kikwete.....sacking Muhongo itself is nothing. LAZIMA ukamate hao marais waliopita na mawaziri wao husika.

That is good thinking 'for which constitution'

 

[Mount Kibo]

Kwa hili nipo na Rais JPM bega kwa bega.

Lakini sijui ile kauli ya kuwalinda watangulizi wake itabaki au itatenguliwa! Maana walikuwa nyuma ya mikataba yote mibovu.

Ukisema kuwalinda watangulizi wake bado na yeye yumo ndani maana rais siye aliyepeleka mswada wala kuupitisha.kazi yake ni kusaini tu yaliyopitishwa na bunge.

Labda ungeuliza uyu raisi unayemuunga mkono yeye alishiriki vp kupinga miswada na sheria hizo mbovu akiwa kama waziri na mbunge. Yeye ni sehemu ya mauzauza haya yooote unayoyaona leo hii.

Kumbuka Kafulila alitukanwa tumbili adi alitaka kupigwa na lile jini liitwalo masajuu kwa ajili ya kutetea mambo haya ya kijinga.

Kingine mbona mwaka wa pili uongozini unakaribia kwisha hazungumzii jinsi ya kuondoa hiyo mikataba mibovu ilotufikisha hapa?

Alituambia ameona Tz nzima hakuna mtu atakayeweza kusimamia wizara hiyo isipokuwa mmoja tu naye ni uyu Purofu Muongo mwenye uzoefu wa kufukuzwa kazi!