Author: FAUSTINE KAPAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: PREVENTION and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Director General, Brigadier General John Mbungo, has suspended nine officials from the Bureau’s Management Unit.
The move is aimed at paving way for investigations to be conducted on value for money and bribery claims related to the construction of seven office buildings.
The decision by the PCCB boss is one of the measures he has taken in a quick response to concerns raised by the President John Magufuli, over suspicious costs on the construction of the bureau’s district offices.
In a statement he issued in Dodoma yesterday, Brigadier General Mbungo mentioned the officials as Jarudi Nyakongeza, Benedict Mabula and Mohamed Kichewele, all of whom are architects as well as Nathaniel Otieno of Construction Management.
The rest are Adam Mandia, Fortunatus Ngailo and Hamis Masoud, all of whom are quantity surveyors, as well as Wilhelm Chuwa, an engineer and Mbwana Malumbo, the building engineer.
According to the PCCB Director General, the Unit has been disbanded and would be formed afresh.
Brigadier General Mbungo recalled that on July 22nd, 2020, the Head of State commissioned PCCB office building at district level situated in Chamwino District in the capital city of Dodoma.
He stated that President Magufuli gave some directives to PCCB prior to the official commissioning of the building.
Among such directives, he stated, related to clearing up some stains of the presence of corruption indicators for some employees of the institution that has been trusted to lead the fight against corruption in the country.
“One of the arguments put forward by the President is that the amount of money spent on the construction of the buildings did not correspond with the value of the buildings concerned, that is, the buildings have no value for money,” stated PCCB boss in the statement.
He mentioned the buildings constructed to house PCCB Offices at Chamwino and Mpwapwa in Dodoma Region, Ngorongoro District in Arusha Region, Manyoni District in Singida Region, Masasi District in Mtwara Region, Namtumbo District in Ruvuma Region and Ruangwa District in Lindi Region.
In the wake of the concerns by the president, Brigadier General Mbungo decided to take some measures, including forming a probe team outside the PCCB institution, to investigate the value for money on all seven buildings.
According to him, the team to involve one official from the Contractors Registration Board (CRB), another official from the Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) and two officials from SUMA-JKT Construction Company Limited would also investigate any indicators of embezzlement, theft or corruption involved.
“This investigation will take 14 days effective from July 27, 2020 and any proven allegations will be dealt with accordingly,” he stated.
During the commissioning, Dr Magufuli, who has been highly spirited in combating corruption since assuming the presidency in 2015, commended the performance of the PCCB.
He was, however, quick to warn the anti-graft watchdog over a few bad elements that tarnished its image.
For instance, Dr Magufuli could not hide his dissatisfaction over costs spent on construction of the bureau’s seven district offices, saying the costs were inflated and there was no value for money.
The President then instructed the PCCB boss and the entire management team to make selfevaluation and act accordingly, by even holding to account unfaithful bureau officials, who could have been engaged in corruption acts.
