PINDA BOOED AS MPS CLOSE RANKS ON IPTL SCAM

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda  

By  Katare Mbashiru,The Citizen Reporter

Dodoma. Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda was booed yesterday in Parliament in an unprecedented reaction by MPs angered by what they saw as brazen attempts to block them from debating the Controller and Auditor General’s report on the Tegeta escrow account scam.

Mr Pinda was booed in the afternoon as he sought to explain the independence of the Judiciary and that of Parliament as the supreme law making organ and the executive.

But MPs would have none of it and drowned his remarks in loud  boos as they read mischief in the letter purported to have been written by the Judiciary to seek stoppage of any debate on the CAG report.  MPs across the political divide united to defend their turf and demanded that the report be tabled for debate without further delay and before any other House business could be undertaken.

They rallied the Speaker to reject what they viewed as manipulation by the Executive to undermine the supremacy of the House and defeat justice in the monumental scandal exposed by the CAG and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).

The Tegeta escrow scandal revolves around a questionable withdrawal, from the central bank, of a whopping Sh306 billion in taxpayer’s money that was shared among a few individuals in government and the private sector.

The money was withdrawn to facilitate the sale of the Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) to Pan Africa Power Solutions (PAP) in a fraudulent transaction.  

Emotions ran high and tension was palpable in Parliament as the MPs faced off the front bench. Deputy Speaker Job Ndugai earlier set the ball rolling by seeking debate from the floor on the way forward in the handling of the apparently explosive report.

All the MPs who spoke were categorical that the authority of the august House must reign supreme while beseeching Mr Ndugai not to succumb to the whims of those implicated in the scandal.

Kigoma North MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe who chairs the powerful Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) said his team was ready to table the report for debate and action by Parliament after Wednesday’s interrogation of the CAG, PCCB and TRA chiefs.

Giving a glimpse of what to expect, Mr Kabwe said what happened was akin to would be expected only in a failed. “What we have witnessed can only happen in countries like Somalia, Congo and Sierra-Leone where there is no rule of law.”

“This escrow scandal is the threshold of Tanzanian’s patience. Parliament must now stump its authority and stop the country from slipping into anarchy,” he said.  

Mr Ndugai later said he would convene the Steering Committee meeting to give direction. “We cannot create unity around a wrong,’’ he said, quoting the 9th Parliament Speaker Samuel Sitta during the handling of the Richmond scandal that brought out the resignation of the then PM Edward Lowassa.

Animated contributions by the MPs came immediately after the Question and Answer session when David Kafulila (Kigoma-South, NCCR-Mageuzi) sought the Speaker’s guidance on Mr Pinda’s assertions when responding to a question by Mr Moses Machali (Kasulu Urban, NCCR-Mageuzi).

Mr Machali demanded to know whether a plot had been hatched to use the Judiciary to block the tabling of the CAG report.

 The Premier, who is a lawyer by profession, said that in his understanding as a legal expert, discussing issues pending in court was likely to influence decisions by presiding judges. He insisted that it was important to observe sobriety in order to avoid jeopardising the cases.

He said there were more than 10 pending cases on IPTL and that the laws of the country did not allow public discussion on matters that were before the court.

His response did not go down well with MPs who charged that Mr Pinda’s sentiments were a proof that the Executive was using the Judiciary to serve selfish interests.

They also alluded to meetings on Wednesday between the PM, Chief Justice Othman Chande and the Chief Secretary Ombeni Sefue ahead of the debate.

The opposition chief whip Mr Tundu Lissu said there was no provision in the Tanzanian  Constitution or Parliamentary Standing Orders that gave the mandate to the Judiciary to direct Parliament on how it should conduct its business.

Mr Lissu insisted that in case the Chief Justice, Principal Judge or High Court registrar has written  a letter to Parliament blocking it from discussing the Tegeta escrow saga, the Parliament has powers to use Section 64(1)(e) to debate and sanction them.

Kahama MP James Lembeli (CCM) said the country was at a crossroads and that it was only the august House that could return it to normalcy before it degenerates into a chaotic state.

 “Presently, only Parliament and the Military  enjoy people’s confidence.  By seeking to frustrate us, we risk losing face and jeopardising the security of this country. How can someone take public money then when asked to give clarifications just tell you that Sh1 billion was legal consultancy fee while our people are suffering in hospitals without medicines?’’ he  said.

Ms Esther Bulaya (Special Seats-CCM) said she has repeatedly said the Judiciary was being misused by the Executive, vowing that she would do everything to defend the Parliamentary independence and powers.

“During the Constituent Assembly sitting, the Judiciary did not issue any order to suspend debate when various cases were filed at the High Court, why is it becoming an issue now when we are about to debate this huge scandal?” she argued, adding that she was not ready to see her party’s image tarnished because of few corrupt individuals.

Her sentiments were echoed by Mr Michael Lekule Laizer (Longido-CCM) who said only an open debate would shed light on the scandal or clear the innocent who have been  being falsely mentioned.

According to Iringa Urban

Lawmaker, the Rev Peter Msigwa, Parliament was passing through a trying moment. “We heard one of the ministers who was bribed saying that he received the money in good faith; we want that money returned in good faith as it was received,’’ he said.

Nominated MP Mr James Mbatia demanded that the Steering Committee gives the House an entire week to debate the matter, urging legislators to use their wisdom in deciding what is to be done.

“We are here because of a shaky and irresponsible government. The whole country is not at peace because of the escrow scandal and before we solve it in this house we cannot guarantee any peace in this country,” he said in his emotional but cool contribution.
CREDIT SOURCE: http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Pinda-booed-as-MPs-close-ranks-on-IPTL-scam/-/1840392/2530156/-/135hldhz/-/index.html