Zanzibar’s House of Representative members have expressed disappointment over how Isles government has responded to the recent allegations of fraud and corruption in some of the public institutions, particularly Zanzibar Electricity Company (ZECO).
Zanzibar House of Representatives
“It is high time we complain to development partners that their money is being misused. There is no need to form Special House Committees to probe such allegations because the government is not ready to act,” complained some of the lawmakers.
Mr Salmin Awadhi Salim (CCM- Magomeni), Mr Makame Mshimba Mbarouk (CCM- Kitope) and Mr Hija Hassan Hija (CUF- Kiwani), joined others to blame the government for not holding accountable the corrupt executives.
The backbenchers revealed their anger when discussing ‘statement’ from the government on how it has dealt with some civil servants accused of being dishonest and involved in dubious deal in ZECO.
According to the government statement read in the House by Minister of State (Second Vice- President), Mr Mohamed Aboud Mohamed, some of the civil servants accused of being corrupt have been warned or shifted to other offices.
In January, this year, the House Public Account Committee (PAC) presented findings of its investigation in ZECO, that discovered massive corruption, thus recommending prompt punitive measures.
Their report mentioned several electricity connections where customers paid millions of shillings, but records only show small money paid to the company.
For example, one customer paid about 37m/- to have power connected to his hotel, but a 2m/- receipt was issued.
A daughter of former president has been also mentioned in the report alleged to have connected electricity using about 31 poles and a transformer without paying.
The legislators wondered why Controller Auditor General (CAG) and the ministry were silent on such huge embezzlement of public funds without holding the executives accountable.
Source Tanzania Daily News
