Third ruling party MP charged with corruption in Tanzania ahead of key party elections

[Mlalahoi]

Tanzanian MP Charged With Graft

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

NEWS
2 November 2007
Posted to the web 1 November 2007
Bukoba

Another ruling party member of Parliament was on Thursday arraigned in court for corruption.

Karagwe MP Mr Gosbert Blandes appeared before the district magistrate charged with two counts of corruption related to recent party elections.

He becomes the third Chama cha Mapinduzi MP, after Mr Michael Lekule Laizer (Longido) and Elisa Mollel (Arumeru West) who were earlier arrested on similar corruption charges in Arusha.

Mr Blandes, 44, together with his secretary Twaha Kifurebe, 54, were both implicated in election bribery on August 27, in a move that surprised party stalwarts.

The MP was reportedly found giving out about TSh50,000 to Mr Kifurebe to help him in the CCM district representative's polls during the party's regional general meeting. The subdued duo, wearing pensive faces were brought before Karagwe district magistrate Velinace Kawiche inside a Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).

Their arraigning comes a few days before CCM elects its top leadership in Dodoma with electoral corruption among key party worries. In Karagwe, public prosecutor Eunice Masalu said Mr Blandes provided the money to influence CCM members to cast their votes in favour of his secretary who however failed to contest due to the accusations.

 

[Semanao]

Nafikiri ni wengi tu wamezoea kutoa rushwa kwenye uchaguzi. I wonder hivi vyeo vya CCM hawa watu wanafaidika na nini?

 

[Semanao]

Nafikiri ni wengi tu wamezoea kutoa rushwa kwenye uchaguzi. I wonder hivi vyeo vya CCM hawa watu wanafaidika na nini?

 

[Gaijin]

tukiambiwa Tanzania kuna nuka rushwa tunashangaa.......vyote vipo wazi, na bado,

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Siyo tatizo kufikisha watu Mahakaman, serikali ya CCM ina rekodi nzuri tu ya kufikisha watu wakubwa mahakamani, tatizo ni kesi zenyewe hazishindiki..

 

[Idimi]

Siyo tatizo kufikisha watu Mahakaman, serikali ya CCM ina rekodi nzuri tu ya kufikisha watu wakubwa mahakamani, tatizo ni kesi zenyewe hazishindiki..

Ni kweli kabisa. Sina uhakika kama kuna mmoja atafungwa kwa rushwa kutoka sisiemu,wanabebana mno! Kama walipiga tiktak suala la Dito la kuua, wakamtoa selo, sembuse rushwa ambayo wana uzoefu nayo?

 

[S. S. Phares]

Siyo tatizo kufikisha watu Mahakaman, serikali ya CCM ina rekodi nzuri tu ya kufikisha watu wakubwa mahakamani, tatizo ni kesi zenyewe hazishindiki..

Kesi hazishindiki kwa sababu misingi ya hawa wakubwa kupelekwa Mahakamani ni Siasa na sio kosa la Jinai.