Probe corruption allegations targeting MPs - LHRC
Wednesday Dec 3, 2014
By The guardian reporter
3rd December 2014
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PCCB urged to take on task
LHRC Director of Advocacy and Reform, Harold Sungusia s
If the allegations are proved to be true, LHRC wants authorities to ensure that legal actions are taken against the culprits.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday, LHRC Director of Advocacy and Reform, Harold Sungusia said the corruption allegations were also raised by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Anne Makinda in parliament during the debate in question. Addressing the MPs, Makinda condemned the behavior.
She told the MPs that it would be difficult for them to hold into account suspected corrupt leaders while they themselves are not clean.
The LHRC official further cited that when contributing on the saga in parliament, one of the MPs, Said Nkumba (Sikonge, CCM) claimed that there were people giving money to MPs to convince them to spoil the debate.
“These allegations are serious and should not be let go without investigation…. We call upon responsible authorities to work on the matter and take legal actions against those who will be found guilty,” Sungusia insisted.
LHRC also advised the National Assembly to take Makinda’s statement seriously and take actions including having the MPs who took bribes (if proven so) resign. He further said it was appalling to see the parliament failing to make the decision of holding the government accountable and instead summoning for only 45 minutes the following day to come up a resolution. He said the hold-up had cost the nation a whopping 100/m- which was paid in allowance to the MPs.
“This is a disgrace to such a significant institution because according to Article 63 (2) of the constitution, the parliament is responsible to advise and hold the government accountable,” he said.
He said the parliament ought to execute its constitutional duties boldly with no pretext of interfering with the autonomous of another pillar of government.
Sungusia argued that the judiciary is a national organ meant to ensure justice to all citizens thus should not be used by anyone or any institution as immunity for committing crimes.
He said an act of using the court as a hiding place to protect some few people from being held accountable is against the law and the court’s mandate.
For his part the LHRC’s Programme Officer for Parliament and Election Watch, Hamis Mkindi said it is dangerous when officials responsible for ensuring that justice is served are involved in corruption scandals, adding that it will results into people losing trust on the two pillars of government.
Mkindi also called upon the parliament to be patriotic in executing its duties without the fear of being in contradiction with other state organs.
On November 28 when debating on the Tegeta Escrow Account saga, MPs failed to arrive into conclusion after they were divided with some of them being against any decision which would hold the implicated officials accountable.
The deadlock forced some members of parliament mainly from opposition camp to object the move, standing up and shouting, forcing the National Assembly Speaker Anne Makinda to adjourn the session before the resolutions were agreed upon.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
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