Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has intensified his anti-corruption fight by suspending senior executives at the Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF) and an official with Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) over involvement in suspected corrupt practices.
Speaking to Zanzibar Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes Authority (ZAECA) officials on Wednesday, Dr Mwinyi vowed to uproot all corrupt elements in public institutions.
He directed ZAECA to perform its functions without fear or favour, promising his solid support as the Zanzibar leader declared a ceaseless fight against corruption in the Indian Ocean semi-autonomous Islands.
The ZSSF officials suspended are its director, Ms Sabra Issa Machano and a senior officer- Mr Ramadhan Abdalla Ali. The TRA officer who was suspended is identified as Mr Karama Awadhi Karama, who is stationed at Zanzibar main seaport.
Dr Mwinyi directed ZAECA staff led by its director Mr Mussa Haji Ali to leave-no-stone-unturned in investigating all the substandard projects and corruption allegations so that the suspects can be charged and the convicted punished accordingly.
Speaking on why he suspended Mr Karama, Dr Mwinyi said the officer was deliberately involved in under estimating the import duty of a truck imported through Zanzibar’s main Malindi Port despite his colleagues opposing the decision.
“We must work collectively to fight corruption; it is so bad and detrimental to the country for corrupt practices to be rife in some areas like port. I will also not spare all those who caused loss of taxpayers’ money by cheating or allowing shoddy work,” President Mwinyi stated.
“I have decided to visit the ZAECA office to recognise and appreciate your work and also show support for what you have been doing. Keep on and remain bold in investigating the fishy conducts of some executives and immoral acts such as theft and embezzlement of public property and funds,” Dr Mwinyi said adding that his visit also indicated his determination to wage a spirited battle against corruption and dishonest leaders.
Dr Mwinyi handed a report about the implementation of the over 93 million US dollars ‘Zanzibar Urban Services Project (ZUSP)’, saying it was full of false expenditure, fictitious procurement and works that did not reflect the value for money.
He then ordered the anti-corrupt authority, ZAECA, to still dig deep into the multi-million project. The president also revoked with immediate effect the ZUSP coordinating committee.
Dr Mwinyi said that all the alleged civil servants must be suspended from job to pave way for investigation and if they would be cleared, they would be reinstated.
The president commended ZAECA for a good job so far and promised to solve challenges including insufficient space and lack of modern equipment facing the authority.
The Minister for Constitution, Legal Affairs, Public Service, and Good Governance, Mr Haroun Ali Suleiman, who accompanied the president, also praised ZAECA staff for doing a good job, and promised the Isles leader of their commitment to seriously continue implementing his directives to end corruption to the level that other countries, such as China have reached.
ZAECA Director, Mr Ali expressed his gratitude to Dr Mwinyi for his intervention and commitment in seeing Zanzibar become free of corrupt practices.
“You have been the first President ever to visit our office since it was established in 2012,” he said.
Mr Ali said ZAECA has successfully investigated and facilitated the return of 78m/- in 2018, 276m/- last year; and 436m/ this year, respectively to government coffers and that the members of the public have been volunteering, giving information to the authority that facilitates investigations.
He said that ZAECA is handling 814 cases out of which 197 have been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), 26 in court for legal procedures while eleven have completed legal process.
Cases under investigation include ‘Mpiga-duri seaport project’, Chawling building renovation project, and ghost compensation in Mkokotoni-Bububu road construction.
Other projects under investigation include Ole- Kengeja road construction in Pemba, construction of Vitongoji vocational centre in Pemba, construction of fuel depot at Mangapwani, construction of JKU building, youth employment project, and fire-fighters centres.
