AfricaPress-Tanzania: SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Job Ndugai has made shocking revelations that some Members of Parliament are heavily in ed.
In a disturbing revelation, the speaker even expressed fears if the MPs will afford to service the debts.
According to Mr Ndugai, majority MPs have secured big loans, but have not settled up the debts up to this point when only a few months are left before the 11th Parliament dissolves in preparation for the next general election.
He said by being over-indebted, the MPs have lost the merits and conditions of being public leaders, as he told off legislators whose expenses were greater than their incomes.
Mr Ndugai was speaking after the parliament overwhelmingly passed the Prime Minister’s Office budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year on Monday.
He said his office was putting things in order to make sure all MPs are paid their dues by June 30, this year.
He called upon the lawmakers to remain calm as his office was finalizing calculations for their payments and that no one will be left out in the list.
“We are finalizing your payments, therefore I can assure you that by June 30, you will receive all of your payments,” he said.
He said all payments will be made including gratuities and that MPs should get ready to collect their cash.
But at this point, the speaker noted that he was afraid the majority are likely to walk out of the building empty handed or with little amount of cash since the majority are indebted.
“I am afraid most of you will get too little or even nothing because you have already spent the cash in the form of loans, so we need to be prepared psychologically,” he said.
Mr Ndugai asked the lawmakers to make prior self-calculations so that they could understand what is likely to happen to their accounts in the few coming months.
“We are all leaders here, for those who have too many debts that cannot be paid, they are likely to be disqualified from leadership races,” he warned.
He said some MPs were taking loans contrary to their earnings.
“We have been challenging the Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Philip Mpango on financial and economic plans but we fail to assess ourselves, we have failed to control our personal budgets,” he said.
He added: “It is disgusting some MPs are seeking loans from all angles, they ask loans from voters, Saving and Credit Co-operative Society (SACCOS), banks and individuals, this is not proper for leaders.”
office is looking forward to paying MPs their dues, those indebted must clear their loans as well. Mr Ndugai also rebuffed former Singida East MP, Tundu Lissu’s claims that he has not been paid his salaries and allowances.
The speaker said the embattled MP was speaking out of context since all payments had already been made and that there was evidence on the matter.
“I fail to understand why Mr Lissu keeps on accusing me of this, and unfortunately, I do not like to discuss someone’s personal issues in public, only forced to when it is necessary,” he said.
Mr Ndugai said Mr Lissu has received more than 200m/- in salary and over 360m/- as allowances.
“We have paid more than 500m/- to Mr Lissu, but instead of keeping quiet he keeps on accusing my office of denying him salaries and allowances, I am asking him to tell the truth,” said Mr Ndugai.
According to Mr Ndugai, the Chadema cadre was paid his allowances until June, 2019. Moreover, he said the former MP owes various banks 70m/- and that he should clear the debt.
He added that for the time that Mr Lissu has been in Belgium, the parliament kept paying him fuel allowances for visiting his constituency, driver’s allowance and constituency development funds.
“It is better that Mr Lissu keeps quiet because he has been receiving allowances while in Belgium instead of being in his constituency,” said Mr Ndugai.
