AfricaPress-Tanzania: Dr Philip Mpango, Tanzania’s Vice President elect had hardly taken his seat in the debating chamber when Speaker Job Ndugai revealed his nomination before the jam-packed National Assembly.
As he sat, the ex-seminarian donned in a dark suit and a red tie said he was engrossed in his phone, trying to ensure that some lawmakers who were yet to get their salaries, received their outstanding dues in time, as his deputy, Mwanaidi Ali Khamis responded to queries posed by MPs on his docket.
In his initial brief speech, the former Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) Commissioner General revealed how he made frequent trips in and out of the house to that effect.
“I had never dreamt of this moment…It has taken me by surprise,” said the soft-spoken economist amidst thunderous applause from fellow law makers.
In his own admission, the Vice-President -elect tickled the MPs when he revealed to them that he didn’t have the vocation for Priesthood, despite the fact that he attended two seminary schools while attaining his secondary education.
Dr Mpango, who until his nomination served as the Minister for Finance and Planning, has a wealth of experience, having previously been the Executive Secretary in the President’s Office (Planning Commission), the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, the head of the President’s Economic Advisory Unit, and as senior economist for the World Bank.
The Vice President elect has also worked as Head of the President’s Economic Advisory Unit, Senior Economist for the World Bank, Visiting Lecturer in Public Economics, Collaborative Master’s programme for Anglo-phone Africa, AERC, Nairobi-Kenya, and Lecturer, Economics Department University of Dar es Salaam.
On different occasions, the former Finance and Planning Minister was an African Development Bank (AfDB) ex officio member of the board of governors and also East African Development Bank’s (EADB), ex officio member of the governing council.
A large section of Tanzanians led by Members of Parliament congratulated President Samia Suluhu Hassan for nominating Dr Mpango, given his vast experience and knowledge in economic matters.
The Vice-President-elect, in his nomination acceptance speech, warned the public that despite being viewed as a humble and soft spoken person, he is tough against thievery, misuse and misappropriation of public funds and corruption practices.
The Vice-President elect will be sworn in on Wednesday in Dodoma.
