JK avunja Baraza la Mawaziri

Rais Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete amelivunja Baraza la Mawaziri baada ya kukubali ombi la kujiuzulu kwa Waziri Mkuu Mheshimiwa Edward Lowassa .

Kuvunjwa kwa baraza hilo kumekuja baada ya Waziri Mkuu, Bw. Edward Lowassa pamoja na Mawaziri wawili kumwandikia barua za kujiuzulu.

Kujiuzulu kwa mawaziri hao kunafuatia kutajwa katika ripoti ya Kamati Teule ya Bunge iliyoundwa kuchunguza uhalali wa mkataba wa kampuni hiyo.

Tukio hilo ni la kihistoria katika Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania.

Mawaziri waliojiuzulu ni Waziri wa Nishati na Madini Bw. Nazir Karamagi na Waziri wa Afrika Mashariki, Dk. Ibrahim Msabaha.

Bw. Lowassa anakuwa Waziri Mkuu wa kwanza kuwajibika kutokana na kuhusishwa na tuhuma za kuchanganya maslahi binafsi na madaraka ya umma.

Maamuzi hayo ya kiongozi mkuu wa shughuli za serikali bungeni na mtendaji mkuu wa serikali unaweka uhai wa Baraza la Mawaziri wa awamu ya nne kuwa kiganjani mwa Rais.

Akiwa na uso wa tabasamu tofauti na juzi, Bw. Lowassa jana alikuwa mtu wa kwanza kutoa hoja bungeni baada ya kumalizika kwa kipindi cha maswali na majibu na kutangaza kuwa amewasilisha waraka kwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuwa anaachia ngazi.

Alitoa tamko hilo akishuhudiwa na mkewe, Bi. Regina Lowassa, ambaye tangu kuanza kwa mkutano huo, jana ilikuwa mara yake ya kwanza kuonekana bungeni.

Bw. Lowassa alianza kwa kuipongeza kamati ya Bunge ya kuchunguza zabuni tata ya Richmond na `kumsifu` Mwenyekiti wake, Dk. Harrison Mwakyembe kwa ujasiri wa mbwembwe aliouonyesha wakati akiwasilisha ripoti hiyo.

Baadaye alisema kwa uchungu:``Sikuridhika hata kidogo na jinsi ambavyo kamati ilivyofanyakazi yake na hasa jinsi ambavyo haikunitendea haki.``

Mwakyembe ni mwansheria tena dokta. Alikuwa anafundisha wanafunzi vyuo kikuu.

Anafahamu maana ya natural justice... Sikufanyiwa natural justice, sikuulizwa ili nijitetee. Watu wote wameulizwa na kamati imekwenda mpaka Marekani kutafuta ushahidi lakini mimi niliyetuhumiwa sikusikilizwa.

Mimi niliyetuhumiwa hawakunihoji. Ofisi ya Bunge iko karibu na ofisi yangu hata kwa miguu ningeweza kwenda...``

``There is a wish I want to grant (kuna jambo nalazimishwa kutenda), nadhani ni uwaziri mkuu, nimetafakari sana ripoti hii, nimefikiri sana, nimejiuliza hivi kulikokoni mpaka watu wazima wafanye jambo kama hili?

Naona tatizo hapa ni uwaziri mkuu nimeona niachie ngazi... Nimemuandika Rais barua ya kuachia ngazi... Kuonyesha kutoridhika kwangu jinsi kamati teule ilivyofanya kazi,`` alisema na kushangaliwa kwa makofi mengi.

Alisema anaamini ingekuwa heshima kama maoni yake yangekuwemo katika ripoti hiyo.

Alisema: ``Taifa letu ni changa. Bungeni ndiko kuliko na demokrasia, sasa kama katika Bunge hili haki haitatendeka nchi haitakwenda vyema.``

Alilalamika: ``Nimefedheheka sana, nimeonewa sana , nimedhalilishwa sana: Sote tu wanasiasa, tukisliliza (na kufanyia kazi) minong`ono hakuna atakayesimimama,`` alisema.

Alimshukuru Rais Jakaya Kikwete kwa kumpa heshima ya kulitumikia taifa hili kwa kipindi cha miaka miwili pamoja na Bunge na viongozi wote alioshirikiana nao kwenye kipindi chake.

Akiendelea kuilalamikia kamati, alisema alitoa ushahidi wa maandishi kwa Spika lakini katika ripoti ya kamati hakuna kielelezo cha ushahidi kutoka kwake na kushangaa kuna majedwali mengi na pia taarifa za magazeti yakiwemo ya udaku.

Baada ya kutangaza kubwaga manyanga, kipaza sauti kilirudi kwa Spika, ambaye alishindwa la kufanya na kuomba ushauri kwa wabunge.

``Tamko ni zito hili waheshimiwa. Sikutegemea, sijui tufanyeje. Tuendelee au tusiendelee?``

Baada ya kuali hiyo, Bw. Zitto Kabwe (CHADEMA), Kigoma Kaskazini, alitoa hoja: ``Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya nchi Waziri Mkuu ndiye kiongozi mkuu wa shughuli za serikali bungeni na mtendaji mkuu wa kazi serikali, tamko la Waziri Mkuu kumuomba Rais kujiuzulu linaamanisha kuwa hataba Baraza la Mawaziri limevunjika.``

Hata hivyo, Spika alisema kilichotokea ni Waziri Mkuu kuandika barua ya kuomba kujiuzulu lakini hajakubaliwa na Rais ama kukataa.

Baadaye aliliahirisha bunge hilo ambalo liliendelea tena jioni.

Akizungumza jioni hiyo wakati wa kuchangia hoja, Bw. Karamagi alisema ingawa aliingia katika wizara hiyo wakati mkataba huo umeshasainiwa, ameamua kujiuzulu ili kujenga imani kwa wananchi anaowatumikia.

Alisema ingawa alifahamu kuwa kampuni hiyo ni ya matapeli alihofia kusimamia kuvunja mkataba kwa sababu kampuni hiyo ingekimbilia mahakamani, kudai fidia kubwa na kuipotezea muda serikali.

Halikadhalika alisema yeye aliingia madarakani wakati mkataba wa Richmond umeshafikiwa na alijitahidi kadri alivyoweza kuhakikisha nchi inapata umeme.

Kwa upande wake, Dk. Msabaha alisema yeye ni mwadilifu lakini amefikia hatua hiyo ili kuiletea heshima serikali iendelee kuaminiwa na wananchi wake.

Alisema amekuwa akishirikiana kwa karibu na viongozi mbalimbali wa serikali na hata ndani ya Bunge.

``Kutajwa katika kamati kwamba mimi ni jeuri nisiyependa ushirikiano si jambo la kweli, kuna mambo mengi ya kweli lakini kuna mengine ambayo kamati imefanya bila kufanya uchunguzi,`` alisema.

Bw. Msabaha aliipongeza ripoti ya Kamati ya Bunge lakini akasema ilikuwa na mapungufu mawili matatu ambayo yanatakiwa kuboreshwa kwa ajili ya kumbukumbu za baadaye.

Mapema jana akihojiwa na waandishi wa habari itakuwaje kama Rais atakataa pendekezo lake la kujiuzulu, Bw. Lowassa alijibu: ``Kama atanikatalia nitajua la kufanya wakati huo.``

Katika hatua nyingine, mjumbe wa Kamati ya Bunge iliyochunguza kashfa hiyo, Bw. Lucas Selelii, alipinga hoja iliyotolewa mapema na Waziri Mkuu kwamba Kamati ilisema uongo bungeni na kutumia magazeti ya udaku kama kielelezo.

Alisema utafiti wao hauna mushkeli kwani umeambatana na vielelezo vya uhakika.

Aidha alisema hawakumuita Waziri Mkuu kumhoji kwa vile waliliridhika na vielelezo vyao.

Pia alisema huko nyuma Waziri Mkuu hakuitwa kwenye moja ya kamati kama hiyo na wala hakulalamika.

Wakati huo huo, Mwandishi Wetu Dar na Idda Mushi, PST Morogoro wanaripoti kwamba Jaji Mkuu wa Tanzania, Bw. Augustino Ramadhani amempongeza Waziri Mkuu Edward Lowassa kwa uamuzi wa kumwandikia barua ya kujiuzulu wadhifa wake, Rais Jakaya Kikwete.

Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya habari ya saa 7:00 mchana jana ya Shirika la Utangazaji Tanzania, Jaji Ramadhani alitoa pongezi hizo kufuatia kauli ya Bw. Lowassa aliyoitoa bungeni jana kuelezea nia yake ya kujiuzulu.

Katika pongezi zake, Jaji Mkuu alisema kitendo cha alichoonyesha Bw. Lowassa hakijawahi kuchukuliwa na viongozi walio wengi katika Afrika.

Habari zilizopatikana kutoka Morogoro, zilisema jana kuwa wadau mbalimbali mkoani humo wametoa maoni tofauti juu ya hatua ya Bw. Lowassa kutangaza azma ya kujiuzulu.

Wakiongea na waandishi wa habari hizi kwa nyakati
tofauti mjini Morogoro jana, wadau hao walidai kuwa hatua hiyo ni ya kiungwana na inaliweka taifa katika mwelekeo wa kujali zaidi maslahi ya wananchi kuliko maslahi yao binafsi.

Baadhi ya wadau hao walisema kitendo Bw. Lowassa kutangaza kujiuzulu nafasi hiyo kinaonesha uzalendo wa hali ya juu na kusisitiza kuendelea kujadiliwa bungeni kwa hoja hiyo ya Richmond ili watu wengi zaidi wafahamu ukweli zaidi wa sakata hilo.

Mmoja wa wadau hao, Profesa Emmanuel Luoga ambaye ni Mhadhiri Chuo Kikuu cha Sokoine cha Kilimo (SUA) alisema kuwa hatua ya Bw. Lowassa ni ya kiungwana na itaweza kutoa nafasi kwa bunge kuendelea kuijadili hoja iliyo mbele yao kwani ni vigumu kujadiliwa kwa upana wakati kiongozi huyo akiwa bado madarakani.

Wahadhiri wengine wa chuo hicho, Profesa Ephraim Senkondo na Profesa Haron Matei walisema hatua hiyo itatoa mwanya kwa viongozi wengine kujifunza na kukubali kuwajibika mapema ili kumaliza suala la ufisadi ambalo limekuwa likilalamikiwa sana na wananchi.

Alisema kilichofanyika tayari kimemwajibisha kiongozi huyo na kutoa nafasi kwa viongozi wengine wasioweza kutumikia taifa kwa uadilifu kuachia ngazi.

* SOURCE: Nipashe, 08 Feb 2008
By Waandishi Wetu



Cabinet dissolved
President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has dissolved the cabinet, a terse State House press release said yesterday. The move follows Premier Edward Lowassa`s resignation yesterday, which the President had accepted.

Earlier, Lowassa had told the National Assembly that he had tendered his resignation to the President, hardly a day after a damning report of a parliamentary select committee implicated him in the Richmond scandal.

Lowassa told the House that due to the fact that he had been linked to the allegations, he had asked the President to allow him to step down.

Findings of the select committee, formed last year to investigate circumstances which led the government to enter into a power generating contract with Richmond Development Company LLC in 2006, have implicated Lowassa as one of the architects of the controversial deal.

Announcing his decision yesterday, Lowassa said although the committee, under Kyela MP Harrison Mwakyembe, did not give him a chance to respond to charges that his office had violated the bidding process by awarding the tender to an American company; he had decided to step down for the sake of his party and the government.

``With great honour to my party (CCM), fellow ministers, members of parliament and the public, I have decided to tender my resignation to President Jakaya Kikwete.

I thank him for his confidence in my person, appointing me to this post and the cooperation he extended to me during the two years I served this nation as prime minister,`` said Lowassa.

Silence reigned in the House as the PM read his speech and accused the committee of violating principles of natural justice by condemning him unheard, despite the fact that the allegations leveled against him were serious.

``I would like to thank Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe for his presentation. Mwakyembe, a university lecturer in the department of law is aware of the law of natural justice, yet he refused to seek my response over the allegations,`` Lowassa said.

The report of the select committee, which implicated Lowassa and other high ranking officials, was presented to Parliament on Wednesday by Dr Mwakyembe and was supposed to be discussed by legislators for two days.

At the end of the morning session yesterday, the Speaker of the National Assembly Samuel Sitta, announced he already received names of 51 legislators who wanted to debate on the issue.

In a solemn mood, the Prime Minister sprang to his feet and approached the microphone which was positioned close to the Speaker`s podium.

``I am standing here in this House where we all gather to uphold good governance and democracy.

I want to put on record the way the select committee, comprising of credible members who travelled as far as the United States to seek evidence, but deliberately refused to call me for interrogation and instead passed judgement against me on the basis of gossip.

We are all politicians. If we are judged so unfairly, then who will be spared, and how will justice be dispensed to ordinary people?`` asked Lowassa.

He said his office was located hardly a walking distance from the Bunge offices, adding, ``I could have walked there if there was no vehicle to take me to the place for the questioning. Quite unfortunately, that did not happen. I am deeply humiliated and oppressed.``

In the presence of his wife Regina, who took her seat in the visitors` gallery - in clear and sharp voice— Lowassa said: ``There is a wish that I am going to grant. That is nothing other than resigning from my post of Prime Minister.``

As he returned to his seat, the Speaker said the Prime Minister’s statement had taken him by surprise. Sitta then sought for advice from fellow legislators on how to proceed.

Responding to the request, Chadema MP Zitto Kabwe said according to the country`s constitution, the Prime Minister represented the executive powers and was the head of government business in the House.

``If the Prime Minister has expressed his wish to resign, will the cabinet be allowed to remain intact while there is no Prime Minister to advise the President on government matters?,`` asked Zitto.

Sitta said President Kikwete was yet to communicate to him to confirm whether he had accepted Lowassa`s resignation, therefore Lowassa was still the PM.

CCM MP Wilson Masillingi called for patience among legislators while studying the unfolding situation before jumping to conclusions. ``Serious issues are always judged by patient people,`` he said.

He made the entire House burst into laughter when he said; ``For the first time in history, the Speaker is seeking advice from MPs. This shows how serious the matter is. We need time to contemplate on the situation because the Prime Minister, whose appointment we endorsed, has now tendered his resignation,`` suggested Masillingi.

Dr. Wilbrod Slaa (Chadema) said claims by the Prime minister that the select committee was unjust to him were unfounded as the committee had attached copies of official communication from his office instructing officials in the ministry of Energy and Minerals to disqualify other bidders and award the tender to Richmond Development Company LLC.

The committee`s report indicated that Richmond, which signed the contract with TANESCO on June 23, 2006 for generating 100 megawatts of electricity during power crisis in 2006, had no track record, lacked expertise and was financially incapacitated.

* SOURCE: Guardian, 08 Feb 2008
By Angel Navuri, Dodoma


...as Karamagi, Msabaha follow suit
Just hours after Prime Minister Edward Lowassa announced his intention to resign over the Richmond scandal, two cabinet ministers told the House yesterday evening that they were also following suit.

Minister for Energy and Minerals Nazir Karamagi and Minister for East African Cooperation Dr. Ibrahim Msabaha had also been implicated in the scandal.

Findings of the committee, formed last year to investigate circumstances which led the government enter into a power generating contract with Richmond Development Company LLC in 2006 indicated the two ministers among the key players who facilitated the costly but dubious transactions, which has cost the country billions of shillings.

Announcing his decision, Karamagi said he was transferred to the ministry of Energy in October 2006, six months after the contract had been sealed.

He, however, said by that time it was too late to terminate the contract as Richmond could have taken the government to court for breaching the agreement.

Karamagi said the government signed the agreement in god faith because the country was facing power problems.

However, he admitted that they later discovered that Richmond was not a genuine company.

Karamagi said he had formally requested President Kikwete to relieve him of his duties.

Dr Msabaha, who was the minister for Energy when the contract was signed, said Prime Minister Edward Lowassa had shown the way.

He said as principles of collective responsibility demanded that he should also step down to pay for mistakes that might have been made by his subordinates.

The probe team`s report was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday by Committee Chairman Harrison Mwakyembe.

It recommended a number of measures, including taking to task all those implicated in the scandal.

* SOURCE: Guardian, 08 Feb 2008
By Guardian Reporters