THISDAY: CCM TO SPLIT?

THE ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which has been in power for more than 30 years, is in imminent danger of formally splitting within the next few months as a direct result of the increasingly messy ideological battle now being fought within its ranks.

Well-placed sources within CCM itself have confirmed to THISDAY that a number of ruling party members of parliament, along with other senior CCM cadres, are contemplating leaving the ruling party altogether because of concerns over its direction in the fight against grand corruption.

”There is now a real danger that CCM will have become irreparably split by February 2010...and that is bound to precipitate a significant leadership exodus from the ruling party,” a senior CCM legislator told THISDAY in an interview.

The senior ruling party MP described the fierce accusations and counter-accusations traded at CCM’s parliamentary caucus meetings in Dodoma last week as part of an ”ideological battle within the party being fought in public.”

Various prominent CCM legislators and cadres have already told THISDAY separately that they would definitely consider leaving the party if the top leadership under the chairmanship of President Jakaya Kikwete does not seriously and conclusively address the grand corruption problem within the party sooner rather than later.

And the general public feeling is that they would be joined by scores more influential CCM cadres, in what might be the biggest bail-out from the party since its formation in 1977.

Although it remains unclear if the looming breakaway group would form its own political party or opt to join one of the existing opposition parties in the country, analysts say it would most certainly present the biggest test for CCM at the October 2010 general elections.

The late Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, is on record as predicting once upon a time that the real political opposition in Tanzania would emerge from within CCM itself.

It is now widely believed that following the general inconclusiveness of last weeks highly-charged CCM parliamentary caucus meetings in Dodoma held under the auspices of the ’Three Wise Men’ committee chaired by former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi, the future of the ruling party now rests firmly in the hands of its national chairman, incumbent President Kikwete.

The Mwinyi committee � also comprising ex-East African Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdulrahman Kinana and current CCM Vice Chairman Pius Msekwa � was formed to delve into the current serious rifts among ruling party MPs, and is now expected to submit its report to President Kikwete within the next few weeks, along with recommendations on how to go about restoring party unity in the face of the current crisis.

The president is then likely to discuss the Mwinyi committee report with members of the party’s top-tier central committee, before presenting it before the CCM national executive committee in December or January for final decision-making.

”The fate of our party now rests in the chairman’s (Kikwete’s) hands. What President Kikwete does after receiving the report from the Mwinyi committee will be crucial. Only he knows,” another senior CCM lawmaker told THISDAY.

Kishapu MP Fred Mpendazoe Tungu (CCM) is amongst those who have openly hinted at the growing potentiality of a formal split within the ruling party, asserting during last week’s parliamentary caucus meetings in Dodoma that CCM as a political party now needs to clearly state its position in the fight against grand corruption.

Another CCM insider told THISDAY on the sidelines of the caucus meetings: ”CCM has been hijacked by a network of corrupt politicians who appear determined to continue looting public funds. The day of reckoning has now come for our party, founded by Nyerere and (former Zanzibar president Abeid Amani) Karume as a party for the working class and peasant farmers - not for wealthy businessmen seeking ill-gotten wealth.”

According to reports from within the caucus meetings, the names of at least four prominent CCM legislators - Edward Lowassa, Rostam Aziz, Andrew Chenge, and Yusuf Makamba - were the focus of most of the deliberations.

Both Lowassa, the ex-prime minister, and Rostam have become heavily implicated in the now-infamous Richmond power generation scandal, leading to Lowassa�s resignation from the premiership in February last year. Ex-attorney general Chenge was also forced to resign from his subsequent ministerial position after being similarly heavily-linked to the military radar corruption investigation.

As for Makamba, the current CCM secretary general and MP by virtue of presidential nomination, he has been described by various members of the CCM parliamentary caucus as a close ally of the Lowassa-Rostam-Chenge group.

Parliamentary sources say these four individuals are seen as the main players in a network of politicians which has forged a particularly-powerful alliance within the ruling party over the past decade or so. Insiders say CCM legislators are now sharply divided in three distinct groups - those who support the Lowassa-Rostam-Chenge-Makamba alliance, those who oppose it, and those who are basically neutral.

SOURCE: ThisDay

THE SOONER THE BETTER!

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DATING ADVICE FROM MICHELLE OBAMA: "DON'T CHOOSE MEN BASED ON THEIR LOOKS"

She's married to one of the most powerful and charismatic men in the world, but Michelle Obama is adamant that when it comes to dating women should look beyond a potential partner's obvious attributes.

On dating, America's First Lady said: 'Cute's good. But cute only lasts for so long and then it's:

"Who are you as a person?"

'That's the advice I would give to women - don't look at the bankbook or the title. Look at the heart. Look at the soul.'

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KING DAVID SLAYS MAN MOUNTAIN VALUEV

David Haye slew the giant last night and became a colossus in the eyes of British sports fans.

In amazing scenes in Germany the 29-year-old Londoner gave a masterclass of boxing skill to snatch the WBA world heavyweight title away from Nikolai Valuev, the giant Russian whom the doubters thought would be too big for him.

Derided as a big mouth, Haye proved beyond doubt that in the ring he is a class act, making the lumbering 7ft 2in man from St Petersburg look like a clumsy novice as he danced his way to a points victory...READ MORE.

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DANADANA YA RICHMOND YAENDELEA

SIKU moja baada ya mjadala wa Richmond kuahirishwa bungeni, baadhi ya wabunge wamesema serikali imechangia kuchelewesha suala hilo ili kukwepa fedheha na kuonya kwamba ujanja huo hautaisaidia.

Wakati wabunge wakitoa kauli hiyo, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), sasa wanajiandaa kuishtaki serikali kwa wananchi ili waihukumu kwa kuikumbatia Richmond.

Wabunge waliozungumza kwa nyakati tofauti na Mwananchi Jumapili jana, walisema licha ya kuendelea kuupiga kalenda mjadala, bado wanaisubiri ripoti ya Richmond kwa hamu na kwamba hawatalala mpaka kieleweke.

Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bunge ya Kudumu ya Nishati na Madini, William Shellukindo alisema hajui kilichotokea hata ripoti hiyo ikaahirishwa tena.

"Siku mbili za mwisho sikuwa bungeni, niko nyumbani nimefiwa na mtoto wangu¦, sijui kilichotokea mpaka waahirishe ripoti hiyo katika Bunge hili, alisema Shellukindo...ENDELEA KUSOMA HAPA

CHANZO: Mwananchi

SABABU NYINGINE YA KUINYIMA CCM KURA HAPO MWAKANI.ZIPO NYINGI LAKINI HII INASUKUMA HATA WALE WALIOKUNYWA MAJI YA BENDERA YA CCM.BUNGE LENYEWE HALINA MENO,MIKWARA MIIIINGI KABLA YA VIKAO (PENGINE KATIKA KUHALALISHA MARUPURUPU YAO MANONO) NA WANAHABARI WETU WANADAKIA KILELE HIZO TO AN EXTENT YA KUKUAMINISHA KUWA SAFARI HII WEZI WA RICHMOND HAW

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DEAD AID

ONE OF OUR MAJOR DONORS,THE UNITED KINGDOM,WHOSE HIGH COMMISSIONER IS PICTURED ABOVE WHEN SHE WAS PRESENTING HER CREDENTIALS TO THE TANZANIAN PRESIDENT JAKAYA KIKWETE,IS IN A MISSION AS STIPULATED ON THE DFID'S WEBSITE...

DFID: Working to reduce poverty in Tanzania
In the past five years Tanzania has received $6 billion in aid. Of this, DFID has provided £500 million (approximately $900 million). DFID has provided Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) to the government of Tanzania since 2000.

Making aid effective...CONTINUES

AND THIS IS HOW OUR DONOR,THE UNITED KINGDOM,SAVES MONEY,SOME OF WHICH IS GIVEN TO US AS AID..

MPs' expenses: more than £600,000 returned to taxpayer

More than a third of MPs have repaid money claimed on expenses, returning more than more than £600,000 to the taxpayer.

By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent
Published: 7:19PM BST 22 Oct 2009

The House of Commons Commission said that since The Daily Telegraph began revealing details of their claims in May, members have returned a total of £637,000.

In all, 260 MPs and former MPs have returned money. The figure
is expected to rise as some MPs have not yet complied with anindependent audit which has asked them to repay some claims...CONTINUES

AND THIS IS HOW WE,THE AID RECEPIENT,MAKE OUR DONORS EFFORTS WORTH CONTINUING...

No compromise with PCCB - Sitta

THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Samwel Sitta, has asserted that no compromise has been reached with the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) over the controversial probe into parliamentarians’ expenses.

According to Sitta, the issue was not even part of the agenda during Tuesday’s much-hyped meeting between himself and PCCB director-general Dr Edward Hoseah in Dodoma, where the National Assembly is
currently in session.

It was just a brief meeting...we did not even discuss the matter,the Speaker told THISDAY when reached for comment yesterday.

Photographs of Sitta and Hoseah in talks at the Bunge office in Dodoma were splashed on the front pages of several local newspapers yesterday amid speculation that the two had managed to work out a mutually-acceptable way forward for the MPs’ expenses investigation.

But Speaker Sitta maintained yesterday that he still opposes arbitrary interrogation of MPs by PCCB officials in the course of investigating reports that some lawmakers have been receiving double payments of allowances for official tasks.

He said proper protocol and procedures need to be adhered to by the PCCB in its interactions with parliamentarians, who are representatives of the wider electorate in the National Assembly...CONTINUES

AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PENNY FROM OUR DONORS IS PUT INTO THE BEST USE......

MPs probe called off

By The Citizen Reporters

MPs had the last laugh yesterday, with the revelation that the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) will, after all, not press ahead with its investigation into the alleged fraudulent payment of double allowances to some of them. Impeccable sources in Dodoma told

The Citizen that the anti-corruption agency had stopped its controversial investigation, which had sparked off a war of words between the Legislature, the Executive and the PCCB's director general, Dr Edward Hoseah.

The sources privy to the discussions in the closed-door meeting on Tuesday between Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, National Assembly Speaker Samuel Sitta, and Dr Hoseah, confirmed that the parties had agreed to call off the investigation indefinitely. That, unfortunately, is the decision the meeting arrived at. Hoseah was not very happy with the development but there is nothing he could do....CONTINUES

WELL,I THINK WHAT CAROL GRAHAM AND MICHAEL O'HANLON PROPOSE WOULD MAKE FOREIGN AID MORE EFFECTIVE THAN IT CURRENTLY IS.THEY SAY

Decades ago, donors saw aid as a transfer of resources from rich to poor countries. Today they see it more as a means of improving recipient countries - use of domestic resources. And though aid has had its successes in humanitarian relief and family planning, its record is mixed when it comes to promoting economic growth. Many nations in sub-Saharan Africa are poorer than when they began receiving aid. The solution is not to end foreign aid, but for donors to know when to say when, cutting off countries that fail to adopt sound economic policies and rewarding those that do....CONTINUES.

AMERICANS BAILING OUT TANZANIAN ECONOMY NAIVELY THINKING THAT IF IT WORKED IN WASHINGTON IT SURELY WOULD WORK IN BONGOLAND.

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YOB vs KARATE EXPERT,A BBC PRESENTER (VIDEO)

Caught on CCTV: The moment BBC presenter floors taunting yob with his karate expertise

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 3:25 PM on 03rd November 2009

This drunken yob got more than he bargained for when he picked a fight with a BBC presenter who used to be an international martial arts champion.

Reporter Paresh Patel had been followed for half an hour through Manchester city centre by two youths, who subjected him to a barrage of abuse as he attempted to set up a live broadcast.

The North West Tonight journalist had been preparing a report in Sackville Gardens, central Manchester, when a group of drunken louts began harassing him and his cameraman Steve Capstick.

Watch the video below

Lightning fast: BBC reporter Paresh Patel (circled right) punches a yob in the face after first being pursued and set upon

Held: Police arrive and arrest the thug who assaulted Patel

But what they didn't realise was that Mr Patel has a black belt in Karate, and when he was finally pushed too far the suited reporter lashed out in kung-fu style.

He floored one of the unsuspecting thugs with a kick to the groin followed by a lightning-quick punch in the face.

The dazed victim can then be seen in CCTV footage scrambling to his feet just as police arrive to arrest the man as Mr Patel, dubbed the 'BBC Bruiser', calmly walks away.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'The accused persistently followed the victim and told him not to call the police and a woman poured a pint over him at one point.

'The other two defendants continued to follow Mr Patel to Princes Street, where the victim was punched in the face and threatened with violence.

'One of them picked up a bit of street furniture and also threatened the victim - he tried to walk away but still he was followed by the suspects.

'Both had been drinking and appeared very drunk. But what they hadn't realised was that the victim was a black belt in karate.'

Pursued: Patel (right) is followed by two yobs as he walks through Manchester city centre

Mouthy: One of the yobs confronts Patel as he tries to mind his own business

Mr Patel can be seen in the footage punching one of them in the face before kneeing him in the groin after being attacked as he planned a live broadcast from the statue of Alan Turing in Sackville Gardens, following Gordon Brown's decision to grant the computer pioneer a posthumous apology.

Sean Brady, prosecuting, told Manchester Magistrates' Court that when Mr Patel phoned his studio, two of the group John Nugent, 22, and David McKenna, 27, thought he was ringing the police and started swearing threatening him.

At the sentencing of the pair, Judge David Hernandez said: 'He defended himself, he delivered a blow. I say good for Mr Patel.

'He had no reason to be subjected to that level of abuse and threat by you.'

The CPS spokesperson added: 'The defendants claimed that Mr Patel has threatened them and told had them not to "mess with him" because he was a "Thai boxer" and that he would "sort them out".

'They insisted they were just having a laugh. And that they only picked up the chair so that he could have a sit down.

'Even when they were shown the CCTV footage they came up with the same explanation.'

On set: BBC Reporter Paresh Patel stands outside 10 Downing Street before a broadcast

Nugent and McKenna, both from Manchester, admitted charges of affray and assaulting Mr Patel on September 11.

McKenna was giving a community order for 18 months with supervision and 14 hours unpaid work at Manchester Crown Court on October 22.

Nugent was also given an 18-month community order with supervision.

Jodie Anderson, 26, the female who threw the drink over Mr Patel, had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Patel and was given a suspended six-week prison sentence and ordered to pay him £50 compensation.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Patel said: 'I am shocked and upset by what has happened. I was trying to go about my business in a peaceful way.'

A spokesperson for the BBC said they were not commenting on the matter as it was a case for the courts.

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HUREEEE,MYAMA KAUA LEO

Picha kwa hisani ya Michuzi.

MNYAMA KAUA LEO!SUBIRIA TIFU LITAKALOIBUKA JANGWANI BAADA YA KIPIGO HICHO.

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THE IRONY OF DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA

Sometimes I am left wondering if democracy means anything to a common man on the street.Look at Tanzania.Our elected representatives in the National Assembly have,arguably,made democracy look like a joke.How on earth would they defend accepting (or rather demanding) extra allowances despite their hefty packages in terms of their sitting allowances and salaries?

It's more than ironic when a body entrusted with the task of making laws becomes a champion in breaking the law.Our MPs should understand that it's simply unacceptable for them to demand or receive hospitality allowances not only because it could impact their opinions but also they are already receiving more benefits an ordinary Tanzanian could only imagine about.

I am even more disgusted by the stance taken by the Speaker of the House Samuel Sitta who claims that 'hospitality allowance is offered in accordance with African tradition.Bribe is not an African tradition,and that is exactly what our MPs are doing.It is widely understood that hospitality accorded to MPs when they visit an organisation for a fact-finding mission could very well be an attempt to soften their stance towards it.In other words,our MPs could easily be bribed by lunch allowances simply because they can't have enough.

Of course, I have been one of the strongest critic of PCCB,especially after its Director General Edward Hosea was implicated by a Parliamentary Committee which was investigating the Richmond scam.However,despite "getting it right at a wrong time" PCCB has every right to investigate the said claims against our MPs.

And it is ridiculous for Speaker Sitta to give statements which imply that MPs are above the law,and therefore have a divine right to break the law.Although it could be true that the decision by PCCB ot investigate the hospitality allowances was prompted by the much anticipated House debate on the Richmond scam,it still does not make our MPs,Sitta included,immune to scrutiny on favours accorded to our representatives.

Back to my point about how ironic democracy could look when analysing African politics,it makes one wonder if the 300 plus MPs representing Tanzanians in Dodoma are actually useful.Arguably,the only thing that most of our MPs have been so effective is in demanding improvement in their benefits.They have so far failed to pressurise the Government to act responsibly in dealing with such important issues as the Richmond scandal,stupid mining contracts and the likes.How could they while they rely on the Government for 'improving' their welfare?

It looks as if the Government's trick to bring the hospitality allowance issue ahead of the debate on the Richmond scam has worked perfectly.Our MPs are so busy to justify that they deserve 'bribes' in a form of hospitality allowances that they have completely forgotten about pressing the Government to come clean on the Richmond saga.

As I have frequently written in my previous posts,I strongly believe that despite of what majority of Tanzanians would like to see or hear,the Government will never bring the Richmond farce to an end because most of the key players are still useful for its (the government's) survival.Unless you are dreaming,Lowassa and Co are too important to wanamtandao to have him on the dock to tell us how we ended up signing such a silly contract with Richmond.

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WHO SAID NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW IN TANZANIA?

By Damas Kanyabwoya, Dodoma The National Assembly Speaker, Mr Samuel Sitta, has poured could water on an attempt by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to qualify 'lunch allowance' for MPs as corruption, terming it 'hospitality allowance' that is offered in accordance with African tradition. The PCCB is investigating some MPs accused of receiving lunch allowances on top of their usual per diems while attending committee meetings outside their base. Mr Sitta said there was nothing wrong for MPs to receive lunch allowances when attending seminars because even parliamentary rules and regulations permitted it. Some MPs, especially from the energy and minerals committee, have reportedly been subjected under harsh interrogations from the PCCB on double payments, against the Parliament's wish that all allegations facing them be probed by the relevant House committee. Mr Sitta said in Parliament in Dodoma yesterday that he was surprised that the simple issue of lunch allowancesattracted so much attention from, especially, from the mass media. He wondered why the same journalists accepted lunch allowances whenever they participated in seminars involving MPs, if they knew it was illegal. "Sauti Huru newspaper recently wrote that I, the Speaker of the House, defend dishonest MPs who have been accused of receiving double payments in allowances. But the papers fails to understand that the other allowance is just a lunch allowance given as hospitality to MPs in accordance with African cultures and values, he said. Mr Sitta weighed into the matter after the morning question-and-answer session when he announced that MPs were invited to attend a seminar on Children's Bill organised by the ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children. He said that lunch allowances would be provided during the seminar and encouraged the MPs to take it without any fear. "The protocol (allowances) will be observed, and this is not a sin because even parliamentary regulations recognize and permit such allowances," Mr Sitta said. Mr Sitta was also not happy over the way the government has been handling the issue, noting that instead of concentrating on MPs' allowances, it needs to focus on sensitive issues such as Kilimo Kwanza and improving education. The issue of double payments of allowances has been the subject of hard fought political battles between the Parliament and the Executive branch of Government. MPs usually receive official daily allowances when they are on duty whether attending parliamentary sessions or committee meetings on top of their monthly salaries and other fringe benefits. But it has also been the custom of the same MPs for a long time, to accept lunch allowances given by their hosts whenever they visit various government organs and parastatals or attend seminars or workshops organized various institutions. Reports indicate that the Speaker has objected to PCCB's interrogations of MPs arguing that if there are any allegations of corruption among MPs they should be dealt with through Parliamentary channels. Legislators also accuse the Government of political witch-hunting because it was only a handful of MPs, members of the Energy and Minerals committee subjected to interrogations, while the rest were left out. Speaking to reporters in Dodoma on Tuesday this week Kyela MP Dr Harrison Mwakyembe said he refused to be interrogated because, according to him, there was nothing wrong with accepting lunch or even lodging allowances given by various government agencies to MPs. The PCCB is the champion of providing such allowances to MPs whenever it conducts seminars for MPs. They recently provided lodging for me in Dar es Salaam during one of their seminars despite the fact that I am the resident of the city. They should start investigating themselves first, he said. But it is reported that the Government insists that the MPs alleged to have received double payments should be interrogated SOURCE: The Citizen

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MAZINGAOMBWE YA RICHMOND: THE LATEST EPISODE

SERIKALI imeshutumiwa kwa kuibua hoja ya 'posho mbili' kwa wabunge ili kuzima kashfa ya Kampuni ya kufua umeme wa dharura ya Richmond Development (LLC) iliyobuni mkataba wa kifisadi kati yake na Shirika la Umeme Tanzania (Tanesco).

Shutuma hizo zinakuja baada ya vyombo vya habari mbalimbali kutangaza jana msuguano uliojitokeza kati ya Spika wa Bunge, Samuel Sitta aliyetoa hoja kusitishwa kwa wabunge kuhojiwa na Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda kusisitiza kuwa zoezi hilo litaendelea kwa sababu ni agizo kutoka katika Ofisi ya Rais, Ikulu.

Takukuru imekuwa ikiwahoji baadhi ya wabunge, wengi wao wakitajwa kuwa ni miongoni mwa wanaojipambanua katika kupiga vita ufisadi, kwa madai ya kupokea posho mara mbili, kufuatia malalamiko ya baadhi ya idara na taasisi kuwa kamati za Bunge zinadai posho mara mbili.

Sambamba na hoja ya 'posho mbili' za wabunge kwa kazi moja, kuendelea kujadiliwa katika nyanja mbalimbali za kijamii, pia mjadala mkali umekuwa ukiendelea katika mtandao maarufu wa 'wanajamii'.

Mchangiaji mmoja, Richard Mabala alisema anashangaa kuona serikali imeamua kuchagua kupambana na baadhi ya wabunge wakati suala la 'posho mbili' ni utamaduni wa miaka mingi bungeni.

"Mwaka juzi nilipotumwa kazi na wafadhili kuonana na kamati moja ya Bunge, vivyo hivyo walitengewa vijisenti vyao, wakiwemo mawaziri na mawaziri wastaafu ndani ya Bunge, mashirika ya jamii na wafadhili," ameandika.

Aliyekuwa Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bunge iliyochunguza kashfa hiyo ya Richmond, juzi alizungumza na waandishi wa habari mjini Dodoma na kusema kuwa kitendo hicho cha Takukuru ni cha kisasi na kuwa kamwe hatokubali kuhojiwa.

Jana Naibu Katibu Mkuu wa Chama cha Wananchi (CUF), Juma Haji Duni alisema serikali inaogopa matokeo ya sakata la Richmond na inataka kutumia suala la wabunge kupokea posho mara mbili kama njia ya kutokea, baada ya kukwama kutekeleza maazimio ya Bunge kwa zaidi ya miezi sita sasa.

"Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda na serikali yake anaogopa Richmond, anakazania wabunge wahojiwe kwa kuwa anaona hapo ndio mahali pa kutokea, wanajaribu kukwepa hoja ya msingi," alisema.

Alisema ikiwa serikali ina sura mbili moja ikiwa ya ufisadi na ndio sababu inachelea kuchukua hatua za wazi zilizopendekezwa na kamati ya Bunge kuhusu watendaji wake.

"Kama serikali ina sura mbili, moja ya kifisadi; ingekuwa makini ingewachukulia hatua wote kama ilivyopendekezwa na Bunge. Sasa inashangaza kwa kushupalia posho za wabunge na kuwahoji ikitafuta pa kutokea," alisema Duni na kuongeza:

"Kama serikali ipo makini kwa nini haijasema wazi ni nani waliorejesha fedha za EPA? Si kweli kama posho za wabunge ndiyo suala kubwa kwa sasa. Serikali iache unafiki kwani, kama posho si wabunge pekee hata watendaji wa serikali wanakula mara mbili."

Alisema, Pinda anajipapatua, huo ni unafiki wa serikali kutaka kufunika hoja ya Richmond na kwamba, kama wana umakini mbona waliorejesha fedha za EPA hawatajwi mpaka leo. Kama Takukuru wapo 'serious' (makini) kwa nini hawakulisemea hilo mwanzo wanasubiri wakati huu wa mkutano wa Bunge."

Aliongeza kuwa lililo mbele ni Bunge kuachiwa lifanye kazi yake na wabunge wafanye kazi yao na iwapo serikali kupitia Takukuru inahitaji kuwahoji basi isubiri kumalizika kwa mkutano wa Bunge.

Kauli hiyo ya Naibu Katibu Mkuu wa CUF iliungwa mkono na Kiongozi wa Upinzani Bungeni, Hamad Rashid Mohamed (Wawi-CUF) aliyesema kuwa ingawa hana tatizo na Takukuru kutekeleza wajibu wake, lakini hofu yake ni wakati gani inatekeleza wajibu huo na kama Bunge ambalo pia lina kanuni zinazoweza kufanyia kazi madai hayo limeshindwa kufanya hivyo.

"Ingawa sheria za nchi hazikatazi mtu kuhojiwa wakati wowote, lakini kila jambo lina wakati wake. Kama Takukuru imefanya hivyo ili kudhoofisha nguvu za wabunge kutetea maslahi ya taifa, basi wajue hakuna mtu yeyote anayeweza kulizuia Bunge kufanya kazi yake," alisema Hamad na kuongeza:

"Bunge lisizuiwe kufanya kazi yake. Hata kama litawavuruga wachache bado tutasimamia haki kwani waliobaki pia ni nguvu ya umma, kwa kuwa ni wawakilishi wa wananchi na wana nguvu na uwezo ule ule".

Kwa upande wake Mbunge wa Kigoma Kaskazini, Zitto Kabwe amewasihi wabunge wenzake kukubali kuhojiwa na Takukuru kama njia pekee ya kujisafisha mbele ya umma kuhusu tuhuma za kulipwa posho mara mbili kwa kazi moja.

Akizungumza katika mahojiano maalumu na Mwananchi ofisini kwake bungeni mjini Dodoma jana, alihadharisha kuwa endapo umakini na busara haitatumika katika suala hilo, kashfa hiyo inaweza kuliondolea Bunge heshima ambayo chombo hicho kimejijengea kwa wananchi.

“Sisi wabunge tunapopinga kuhojiwa na chombo cha dola tunatoa taswira mbaya kwa jamii…tunaweza kuharibu hii sifa tuonekane kuna mambo tunayafanya halafu tunajificha na kinga ya Bunge…kinga inatulinda kutoa maoni na michango yetu ndani ya Bunge tusishtakiwe,”alisema Zitto.

Katika mtazamo tofauti Mwenyekiti wa Taifa wa NCCR-Mageuzi, James Mbatia alisema anayachukulia mabishano hayo sawa na ya vibaka wawili wanaogombana kila mmoja akitaka kumuwahi mwenzake.

“Takukuru ni questionable (wanatuhumiwa) na wabunge nao pia ni ‘questionable’. Sasa imekuwa ni sawa na vibaka wawili ambao wanapambana na sasa inategemea ni kibaka yupi atamuwahi mwenzake.” alisema Mbatia.

Alifafanua kuwa katika mazingira ya sasa wabunge, wanatuhuma na wanapaswa kuchunguzwa na suala la Richmond nalo linapaswa kuchukua nafasi yake, hivyo Takukuru wasizuiwe kufanya kazi zao kama Bunge nalo lisivyotakiwa kuingiliwa.

Naye Kada wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) na ambaye pia ni kijana aliyeinukia kwa kasi kisiasa nchini katika miaka ya karibuni, Nape Nnauye, alisema anatilia shaka uhalali wa Takukuru kutekeleza kazi yao wakati huu wa Mkutano wa Bunge, hasa ikizingatiwa hoja nzito zinazotarajiwa kujadiliwa.

"Mazingira ya sasa tuna sakata la Richmond na bado halijaisha na mmoja wa wanaotuhumiwa ni Mkurugenzi wa Takukuru. Hata kama operesheni yao ni 'genuine' (halali) tunaweza tukafikiri ni kuzuia wabunge wasitekeleze wajibu wao," alisema Nnauye.

Mkurugenzi wa Mtandao wa Jinsia Tanzania (TGNP), Usu Malya alielezea kitendo hicho cha Takukuru kuwa ni cha kuwadhalilisha wabunge na kuongeza kama ni suala la kutolewa posho mara mbili kwa wabunge, Bunge kupitia kamati yake ya maadili lingeweza kujadili na kutoa ripoti.

"Tunaamini wabunge wetu wamekuwa wakijadili kwa uwazi mambo yote kwa maslahi ya umma. Suala hilo pia wangeweza kulifanyia kazi. Kitendo cha Takukuru kwenda kuwafuatilia mimi naona ni cha kuwashushia hadhi," alionya Usu.

Hata hivyo, Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa (Takukuru) Dk Edward Hosea, ametia ngumu akitaka uchunguzi dhidi ya wabunge uendelee akisema : "Hakuna mtu aliye juu ya sheria."

Kauli hiyo ya kwanza ya Dk Hosea tangu kuanza uchunguzi huo ambao sasa umefikia hatua ya juu zaidi, inakuja kipindi ambacho tayari kumeibuka msuguano kati ya mihimili miwili ya dola, ambayo ni Bunge na Serikali.

"No one is above the Law..., no matter who are you (Hakuna aliye juu ya sheria, bila kujali wewe ni nani)," alisema Hosea na kuongeza:

"Sisi tunafanya kazi kwa mujibu wa sheria na katiba, kwa hiyo hatuangalii nani ni nani zaidi ya sheria na katiba".

Mapema mwaka huu Dk Hosea alionya wabunge kwamba, wakianza mchezo wa kuumbuana hawatasalimika, kwani kumekuwa na taarifa na ushahidi wa kutosha kuhusu ufisadi wao wa kuchukua posho mara mbili.

Akionyesha kutimiza azma hiyo, Hosea alisema hapendi malumbano na wanasiasa kwani yeye si mwanasiasa mwenye jukwaa kama Bunge, ila atasimamia sheria.

"Wanaweza kusema mambo mengi, mimi si mwanasiasa sipendi malumbano na wanasiasa, wao wana audience (hadhara) mimi sina, wana Bunge na wanaweza kukaa bungeni na kuzungumza chochote," alifafanua Hosea na kusisitiza:

"Lakini kwa kifupi ni kwamba, msimamo wa Takukuru uko wazi, ni kufanya kazi kwa mujibu wa sheria na katiba basi, hakuna jambo jingine".

Alipoulizwa endapo uchunguzi huo una msukumo na nguvu za aina yoyote nje ya sheria na utendaji kazi wa kawaida wa Takukuru, alijibu: "Nasisitiza, sipendi malumbano na wanasiasa, wanaweza kusema mengi, lakini tunasimamia sheria tu".

Msuguano huo unaondelea kati ya mihimili hiyo miwili ya dola, pamoja na mambo mengine unaweza kuliingiza Bunge la Tanzania katika kashfa mbaya ya matumizi mabaya ya fedha za umma kama ilivyokuwa kwa Bunge la Uingereza.

Tayari hadi sasa, wabunge wengi wakiwa ni kutoka Kamati ya Nishati na Madini wakiongozwa na Shellukindo mwenyewe, wamekwishahojiwa kutokana na tuhuma hizo.

Kwa mujibu wa habari ambazo gazeti hili imezipata, karibu wajumbe wote 21 kutoka Kamati ya Hesabu za Mashirika ya Umma wamekwishaitwa kuhojiwa huku mwenyekiti wao Zitto akiwa njiani.

Baadhi ya wabunge kama James Lembeli wa Kahama na Dk Mwakyembe, walikwishaitwa kuhojiwa lakini hadi sasa hawajafanyiwa hivyo, huku mbunge huyo wa Kyela akiweka bayana kwamba, hayuko tayari kuhojiwa na Takukuru vinginevyo apelekwe mahakamani.

Baadhi ya wananchi waliliambia gazeti hili kwamba, hawaoni sababu ya wabunge kulalamikia kitendo cha Takukuru.

"Mjadala wa bunge hauwezi kuzuia mambo mengine yasifanyike... kama wabunge watashindwa kwa sababu tu ya kuhojiwa basi kazi yao watakuwa hawaijui. Na pengine hili litakuwa ni changamoto kwao," alisema Hamis Athuman.

Imeandaliwa na Exuper Kachenje, Leon Bahati na Ramadhan Semtawa

SOURCE: Mwananchi

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