TEC ‘POWERLESS’ ON KILAINI, NZIGILWA

Pope Francis

Dar es Salaam. Only the Pope can determine the fate of two senior Catholic clergymen said to have received part of the Sh306 billion withdrawn from the Tegeta escrow account,  according to Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) vice president Severin Niwemugizi.

Speaking to the sources of this news from Ngara yesterday, Bishop Niwemugizi dismissed reports that Methodius Kilaini and Eusebius Nzigilwa, the auxiliary bishops of Bukoba and Dar es Salaam, respectively, had been summoned for questioning. He added that TEC had not and would not  summon any religious leader for questioning over the matter.

“As a senior TEC leader, I can confirm that no one has been summoned for questioning so far and we don’t intend to do so.

“It’s only the Pope who has the authority to summon bishops....I wish to make it clear that there is no provision in the Roman Catholic system in this country that provides for the summoning of bishops for questioning.  TEC does not have such powers, which rest with the Vatican,” said Bishop Niwemugizi, who heads the Rulenge-Ngara Diocese.

Bishop Kilaini and Bishop Nzigilwa  received Sh80 million and Sh40 million, respectively, from Mr James Rugemalira, a former shareholder in Independent Power Tanzania Limited.  The money was transferred to the bishops’ accounts at Mkombozi Commercial Bank, which is operated by the Catholic Church.

Bishop Niwemugizi said the Vatican only launched disciplinary proceedings upon satisfying itself that a bishop had committed a serious transgression.

However, he could not say whether the Vatican had information about the two Tanzanian bishops.

“I don’t know if the Pope is aware of this matter.  As you are aware, I’m in Ngara and the Pope is in Rome,” he said. Bishop Nzigilwa declined to comment on the matter after leading Christmas Mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Dar es Salaam last Thursday.

 

“We are celebrating Christmas...let’s stick to this as I prepare an explanation about the issue you are interested in. I will give it to you once it is ready,” he said.

The two bishops were among a number of people named in Parliament as beneficiaries of the escrow account money.

Others include Prof Anna Tibaijuka, who was sacked earlier this month by President Jakaya Kikwete, who said there were ethical questions after Sh1.6 billion was transferred to the personal account of the former minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development.

Mr Frederick Werema resigned as Attorney General on December 16, saying his advice to the government regarding the transfer of IPTL ownership was “misunderstood”.

Energy and Minerals Permanent Secretary Eliakim Maswi was suspended last week pending a new investigation into his role in the controversy.

The escrow account saga dominated Christmas sermons last week.

KAFULILA: ESCROW INAZAMISHA NCHI

Mbunge wa Kigoma Kusini(NCCR-Mageuzi),

David Kafulila.

Mbunge wa Kigoma Kusini (NCCR-Mageuzi), David Kafulila, amesema kashfa ya kampuni ya Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) ya uchotwaji wa zaidi ya Sh. bilioni 300 katika akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow, iliyokuwa Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT), itaendelea kutafuna uchumi na kuongeza umaskini nchini kutokana na serikali kusuasua kuchukua hatua kali dhidi ya wahusika.

Kafulila, ambaye ndiye mbunge aliyeibua mjadala kuhusu kashfa ya akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow, bungeni, alisema hayo alipokuwa akitoa tathmini ya kufunga mwaka 2014 jana.

Kutokana na hali hiyo, alisema wahisani hawatachangia bajeti ya mwaka huu na ya mwaka ujao na hivyo, kuiweka serikali katika wakati mgumu.

“Hii itaidhoofisha CCM na kuijenga Ukawa (Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi) 2015 na hivyo, uchaguzi kuwa mgumu na wa kihistoria,” alisema Kafulila.

Alisema mwaka 2014 umemalizika Bunge likiwa limejijengea imani kubwa kwa wananchi, huku serikali ikiporomoka kutokana na namna Bunge lilivyosimamia sakata la akaunti hiyo na serikali ilivyosuasua kushughulikia.

Kafulila alisema hakuna matumaini ya kiuchumi katika mwaka ujao wa 2015 kwa sababu nchi itakuwa na mahitaji makubwa ya uchaguzi, vitambulisho vya taifa na kura ya maoni ya katiba inayopendekezwa, mambo ambayo yatahitaji fedha nyingi, ambazo hakuna.

Alisema sababu mojawapo iliyochangia uchaguzi wa serikali za mitaa, vijiji na vitongoji uliofanyika Desemba 14, mwaka huu, kuharibika ni serikali kukosa fedha.

Kafulila alisema wakati kukiwa na mambo hayo makubwa yanayohitaji fedha, serikali mpaka sasa ipo taabani kifedha kiasi, ambacho hata kandarasi za barabara zimesimamishwa kutokana na ukata. 

Alisema Mamlaka ya Mapato Tanzania (TRA) inakusanya Sh. bilioni 800 kwa mwezi wakati mahitaji ya mishahara peke yake ni takriban Sh. bilioni 500, hivyo zinabaki Sh. bilioni 300, ambazo hazitoshi hata kunulia karatasi na mafuta kuendesha ofisi za serikali nchini kote.

Kafulila alisema licha ya uchumi kukua, maendeleo hayaonekani kwa sababu unakuzwa na sekta za madini, utalii, mawasiliano, ambazo hazibebi watu wengi, pia kero ya maji, ambayo kwa mujibu a utafiti wa taasisi ya Synovate, ni kero namba moja Tanzania, lakini serikali imeshindwa kabisa, ingawa ipo kwenye nchi ya 11kwa mito mingi duniani.

“Bado tunakosa wawekezaji wa kimkakati kwa mfano wa uamuzi wa serikali kuchukua mkopo wa dola bilioni 10 kwa ujenzi wa bandari ya Bagamoyo wakati pesa hiyo ingetosha kujenga reli ya kati ya kimataifa kwa dola bilioni sita na ziada ya dola bilioni nne zingetosha kupanua na kuimarisha bandari ya dare s Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga,” alisema Kafulila.

Dr. SLAA: JK AWAOMBE RADHI WATANZANIA!

Katibu Mkuu wa Chama cha Demokrasia na

Maendeleo (Chadema), Dk. Willibrod Slaa

Katibu Mkuu wa Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), Dk. Willibrod Slaa, amemtaka Rais Jakaya Kikwete, kuwaomba radhi Watanzania kwa madai ya kuingizwa kwa wawekezaji wasiojali maslahi ya wazalendo.

Kutokana na hilo alisema kuna uwezekano wa kuwapo kwa kashfa nyingine zaidi ya ile ya akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow katika eneo la Magereji, barabara ya kwenda Wazo Hill, jijini Dar es Salaam kwa madai ya mwekezaji kuwanyang’anya eneo la shughuli za ufundi wa magari wakazi wa Kata ya Wazo takribani 4000 na vijana ambao wamewekeza kiasi cha Shilingi bilioni 35 kwa maendeleo yao ya ufundi wa magari  kwenye eneo hilo.

Dk. Slaa alitoa kauli hizo wakati akihutubia katika mkutano wa hadhara kwenye uwanja wa Mkanada jijini humo jana kwa lengo la kuwashukuru wakazi wa kata hiyo kwa uchaguzi wa serikali za mitaa uliomalizika hivi karibuni na hivyo kuelezwa kero hizo ambazo wananchi hao wanakabiliana nazo ikiwa ni pamoja na eneo hilo kudaiwa kutwaliwa na mwekezaji huyo na kuwaondoa vijana hao kwa bati 20 na mifuko ya saruji 20.

Dk. Slaa alisema kuwa wawekezaji wazuri ni wale wanaohakikisha wazalendo wananufaika na wao pia na siyo kuwa wauaji na wasiojali utu wa watu akisema hiyo ni Escro nyingine zaidi ya ile ya uchotwaji wa mabilioni ya Shilingi.

“Haiwezekani watu wamewekeza kwa bilioni 35 wewe unawatoahalafu unawapa mifuko kumi ya saruji na mabati 20,” alisema Dk. Slaa.

Alisema kutokana na hilo, Rais awaombe samahani Watanzania huku akihoji kwamba inakuwaje Rais Kikwete tangu atangaze kuwapo kwa majina 40 ya wanaouza dawa za kulevya na wanaosafirisha wanyama nchi za nje, lakini hadi sasa hajayaweka wazi kwa wananchi.

Aliongeza kuwa, hotuba ya Rais Kikwete kwa wazee wa Mkoa wa dare s Salaam Jumatatu iliyopita ilikuwa na udhaifu mkubwa kwani dhahiri ilionyesha kumtetea mmiliki mpya wa Kampuni ya Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL), Herbinder Sethi, bila kuangalia maslahi ya taifa.

Dk. Slaa pia alimtaka Rais Kikwete kuwashughulia baadhi ya viongozi ndani ya CCM wanaodaiwa kuhusika kwenye biashara ya kusafirisha wanyama.
Baadhi ya wakazi hao walidai kuwa, sakata la mgogoro wa mpaka wa ardhi katika eneo la Chasimba, bado bichi kwani wananchi hao walitaka kuondolewa kwa utapeli.

Wakazi hao wana mgogoro wa muda mrefu na kiwanda cha Saruji cha Wazo baada ya kudaiwa kuwa walilivamia eneo hilo.

Walisema katika awamu ya kwanza walitaka kuwahamishia eneo la Bungu kwa Masista watu 1,000, lakini baadaye waligundua kuwa eneo hilo kwa mujibu wa ramani za mipango miji liliwekwa kwa ajili ya shughuli za biashara, nyumba za Shirika la Nyumba la Taifa na kwa ajili ya nyumba wakubwa.

Hata hivyo, wakazi hao walipohoji kuhusu hilo na watu wengine 3500 kwamba watawapeleka wapi, hakukuwa na majibu na hivyo madiwani kutoridhishwa na hilo huku wakitaka wananchi hao kuungana pamoja kwa ajili ya kufuatilia suala hilo.

Dk. Slaa aliitaka serikali kuangalia suala la kujenda viwanda vya ndani kusaidia wazalendo badala ya kuwaondoa kwenye maeneo kama hayo ambayo wanaendesha shughuli zao kwa ajili ya masuala ya kiuchumi na ajira zao.