Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Director General of Tanzania’s Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Crispin Chalamila, has directed the institution’s legal officers to take firm action against election candidates found engaging in bribery during this election period, urging them to conduct thorough and effective investigations.
Chalamila gave the directive while opening a capacity-building training program for 307 PCCB lawyers from across the country. The training is being held at the Mwalimu Nyerere Leadership School in Kibaha, Coast Region.
He emphasized that PCCB’s core responsibilities include public anti-corruption education, prevention of corruption, and conducting investigations. He stressed that during the election period, lawyers have a critical role to investigate and curb corrupt practices, a step that would support the election of competent leaders.
“We are heading into a two-month campaign period. This is your time to step up and investigate acts of corruption. It’s clear that leaders who come to power through bribery rarely make good leaders they cannot help us oversee development projects,” Chalamila stated.
He further warned that failure by PCCB lawyers to fulfill this duty diligently could lead to the election of poor-quality leaders who lack the integrity to serve the public effectively. Such leaders, he noted, are likely to mismanage development projects and cause losses to the government.
“We must be vigilant, especially with councillors and Members of Parliament. Many projects are implemented in their areas, and since they are close to the communities, they can help us uncover acts of embezzlement in their respective wards and constituencies,” he added.
In addition, Chalamila urged the lawyers to ensure high-quality investigations that will generate solid evidence, which is key to winning corruption-related cases and achieving the institution’s goals, including the recovery and forfeiture of assets acquired through corrupt means.
On his part, PCCB’s Director of Legal Services, George Barasa, said that 307 legal officers were benefiting from the training, which covers various topics including legal techniques, electronic evidence gathering, recent legal reforms, and health matters for staff.
“This training will enhance professionalism and equip staff with new tools and strategies. As you know, our goal is to win at least 85perecnt of the cases we prosecute and recover 100 percent of the assets obtained through corruption,” said Barasa.
Meanwhile, the Bureau’s Head of Investigations, Biswalo Biswalo, emphasized the importance of the training in helping participants understand legal reforms—particularly the 2023 Public Law Amendments—as well as advances in legal technology.
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