The Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Professor Anna Tibaijuka speaks with reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday...
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| The Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Professor Anna Tibaijuka speaks with reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday |
By Rose Athuman
NO
PLAN TO RESIGN, SAYS TIBAIJUKA
LANDS, Housing and
Human Settlements Development Minister, Professor Anna Tibaijuka, said
yesterday that she had no plan to resign over the Tegeta Escrow account
scandal, saying such a move will surprise even her boss.
“Even the authority
that appointed me to this portfolio will be surprised if I resign... to resign
means being politically accountable but what is happening with the Tegeta
Escrow account has nothing to do with my political portfolio as minister,” Prof
Tibaijuka told reporters in Dar es Salaam.
She denied any
involvement in the scandal, saying had it not been her private school, there
was no way she could have been involved in the scandal.
She told a
well-attended press conference that the 1.62bn/- she received from Mr James
Rugemalira was solely a contribution to Barbro Johansson Girl’s Education Trust
(JOHA).
The money was meant to
sponsor education for talented girl students whose families cannot afford
school fees at Barbro Johansson Girls Model Secondary school.
The former UN-HABITAT
Executive Director said that she felt the need to come out and explain her
involvement in the Tegeta Escrow account scandal, to give the public the
correct picture.
She said as the founder
of Barbro Johansson Girls Secondary School, she is tasked with among other
duties, soliciting funds for the school and the contribution from the
well-known businessman, Mr James Rugemalira, was a response to a letter she
wrote him requesting a donation.
Mr Rugemalira is the
owner of the former minority shareholder of Independent Power Tanzania Limited
(IPTL), VIP Engineering and Marketing Limited, embroiled in the Tegeta Escrow
Account scandal.
“I had written a letter
to my friend and brother Rugemalira a while back... and when he called me and
told me about the money, I asked him to deposit it in the school’s account. But
he gave me a condition to set up an account with Mkombozi.
I did not hesitate
because the school, which is based in Kibamba Luguruni, needed support,” she
explained.
When asked why the
money couldn’t be deposited directly to the school’s account, Prof Tibaijuka
said Mr Rugemalira gave her a condition to open an account with the Mkombozi
Bank and she was not going to question the condition since the school needed
the money.
She said it is not the
first time that prominent businessmen in the country have donated to the
school, citing an example of another prominent businessman and IPP Chairman, Mr
Reginald Mengi, as having donated more than 200m/-.
She said the school has
debts amounting to more than 2.7bn/- that need to be cleared, stressing that
even the donation from Mr Rugemalira will not clear it.
Prof Tibaijuka added
that she was not given an opportunity by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to
state her case, hence the press conference.
“I have no idea why the
PAC did not call me to defend my case. I was in Dodoma then.... that is why I
am here today so that the public can understand my position, instead of
listening to propaganda making the rounds in the media,” she charged.
“We are giving the
investigative organs a chance to conduct investigation and wait for their
findings... but we should not pass judgment before the findings as is the case
in some of the local media reports.
This is not right,” she
added. The minister is among top government top officials named as recipients
of the money illegally withdrawn from the Tegeta Escrow Account.
Others are the Minister
for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, his permanent secretary, Mr
Eliachim Maswi, and the just-resigned Attorney General (AG), Mr Frederick
Werema.
Mr Werema tendered his
resignation letter to President Jakaya Kikwete on Tuesday over the Escrow
scandal which has involved controversial withdrawal of 306 billion/- from the
central bank to facilitate an equally questionable acquisition of Independent
Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) by Pan Africa Power Solution (PAP).
Mr Werema wrote to
President Jakaya Kikwete to say he was stepping down due to his role in the
matter that facilitated the withdrawal of the billions of shillings from the
Bank of Tanzania (BoT) and subsequent sharing of the money among top public
officials, politicians and influential individuals.
Source Dailynews
Source Dailynews
************
Prof. Tibaijuka refuses to resign over Escrow scam
The Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Professor Anna Tibaijuka
Posted Thursday, December 18 2014 at 16:33
In Summary
Prof .Tibajuka said that when she was responding to a
question from reporters as to what is her tale towards resignation,
basing on the fact that the Attorney General Judge Frederick Werema
decided to step down following the Tegeta Escrow account scandal.
The Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Professor
Anna Tibaijuka yesterday said that resigning is not a fashion, thus she
will not resign until when the government proves that she is guilty.
Prof Tibajuka said that when she was responding to
a question from reporters as to what is her tale towards resignation,
basing on the fact that the Attorney General Judge Frederick Werema
decided to step down following the Tegeta Escrow account scandal.
“I don’t see any reason for me to step down,
because up to now the government has not declared that I am guilty,
resigning is not a fashion, someone will step down after it is proven
that she is guilty,” said Prof Tibaijuka during a news conference held
in the City.
Prof Tibaijuka said that she received the money
under good faith because everything was blessed by the Barbro Johansson
board of trustees, and the money ($1 Million) was straight forward
transferred to a School’s bank account at the Bank M.
“I will not resign because the state has not
declared that I was given dirty money, but I will step down if only the
above management will declare that it was some of those dirty money or
when I will be charged into the court of law,” detailed Prof Tibaijuka.
Minister Tibaijuka who is also a Member of
Parliament for Muleba South said that Barbro Johansson Girl’s Education
Trust (Joha-Trust) has never kept dirty money, “thus we will return the
money to Mr Rugemalira if it will be proven that he was laundering those
money,” she said.
Asifiwe George na Ester Mnyika, Dar es Salaam,
WAZIRI wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi, Profesa Anna Tibaijuka, amesema hatojiuzulu kwa sababu kufanya hivyo si fasheni.
Pamoja na kauli hiyo, pia ameweka bayana kuwa yeye na Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, Profesa Sospeter Muhongo, bado wanategemewa na Rais Jakaya Kikwete katika kumsaidia kufanya kazi.
Kauli ya Profesa Tibaijuka imekuja siku chache baada ya kujiuzulu kwa aliyekuwa Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali, Jaji Frederick Werema kutokana na kashfa ya uchotwaji wa zaidi ya Sh bilioni 300 katika Akauti ya Tegeta Escrow iliyokuwa imefunguliwa Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT).
Mbali na hayo, waziri huyo alieleza endapo uchunguzi utafanywa na kubaini fedha ambazo ziliingizwa kwenye akaunti yake na mmiliki wa Kampuni ya VIP Engineering, James Rugemalira si halali, basi yupo tayari kuzirudisha.
Akizungumza Dar es Salaam jana kuhusu kuhusishwa kwake na sakata la Akaunti ya Escrow, Profesa Tibaijuka alisema wanaodhani kwamba anatarajia kujiuzulu wanakosea kwani kufanya hivyo si kutenda haki katika dhana ya maendeleo.
Profesa Tibaijuka alisema anavishangaa baadhi ya vyombo vya habari na mitandao ya kijamii kwa kumwita ‘Mama Escrow’ huku akiweka wazi na kujiita yeye ni ‘mama wa migogoro ya ardhi’ na si ‘mama wa migogoro ya Escrow’.
“Mlifikiri nimekuja kujiuzulu, kumbe ndiyo maana mmekuja wengi, sikuja kujiuzulu ng’o kwani sina kosa na siwezi kujiuzulu kwa ajili ya mchango wa shule. Nikijiuzulu nitakuwa sitendi haki katika dhana ya maendeleo na kujiuzulu siyo fasheni.
“Sijaja kujiuzulu wala kutetea watu wenye madhambi, pia uongo ukirudiwa mara nyingi unageuka na kuwa ukweli, kilichonileta hapa ni kufafanua lengo la fedha hizo ambazo zilikuwa za shule ingawa suala lenyewe linaonekana kuwa na utata.
“Fedha hizo zilitolewa na watu wenye nia njema ya elimu kwa watoto wa kike kwani kipindi hicho elimu yao ilikuwa katika kiwango cha chini tofauti na wavulana hali iliyoleta mvutano kuwa watafutiwe kiwango maalumu cha ufaulu.
“Wizi na uongo ni dhambi, tusiwe watu wa kuhukumu kwani ni dhambi ya mauti, sikuwahi kuitwa na Kamati ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Serikali inayoongozwa na Zitto Kabwe wala kamati yoyote kueleza suala hilo na nilishangaa kuona jina langu lipo kwenye orodha ya Escrow,” alisema Profesa Tibaijuka.
Katika mkutano huo, Tibaijuka alisisitiza kuwa anaona fahari kufanikisha mchango wa shule yake iliyoingiziwa fedha hizo, na kwamba aliyemfadhili aliweka masharti ya kufungua akaunti Benki ya Mkombozi pekee na kisha kuingiziwa kiasi cha Sh bilioni 1.617.
Aidha alisema maazimio yaliyotolewa na Bunge ya kutaka uchunguzi uendelee kufanyika, bado yamekuwa yakileta mkanganyiko kwani azimio namba tatu linataka waliohusika wawajibishwe.
“Nikijiuzulu hata Rais Jakaya Kikwete atanishangaa kwani fedha nilizopata ni za shule na kwa ajili kukomboa elimu nchini, hasa kwa watoto wa kike kutokana na wazazi wengi kutoweza kumudu gharama za shule,’’ alisema.
Alisema utata huo utaondoka kwa kutoa elimu kwa wananchi na endapo kuna suala lolote ambalo halikueleweka aliwataka wanahabari kumuuliza maswali mengine Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Serikali (PAC), Zitto Kabwe.
Waziri huyo alisema udalali wake wa fedha hizo ni kwa ajili ya wanafunzi katika shule za Taasisi ya Barbro Johansson Girls’ Education Trust ambazo zilitoka katika kampuni ya James Rugemalira kama msaada kwa shule hiyo.
Alisema udalali wake ni kutafuta fedha kwa ajili ya elimu nchini, ambapo alidai hata Mwenyekiti wa Makampuni ya IPP , Dk. Reginald Mengi alitoa Sh milioni 248 kwa ajili ya msaada wa shule hiyo.
Profesa Tibaijuka alisema wananchi watambue yeye ni mstaafu wa Umoja wa Mataifa, hivyo hawezi kufanya hivyo na kama angetaka fedha hiyo angeweza kuzifuata hata katika shule na kuchukua.
Desemba 16, mwaka huu aliyekuwa Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali, Jaji Frederick Werema ambaye ni mmoja wa watuhumiwa katika kashfa ya Escrow alitangaza kujiuzulu.
Hatua hiyo ya Werema ilikuja wakati Watanzania wakiwa bado wanasubiri uamuzi wa Rais Kikwete kuhusu maamizio nane ya Bunge yaliyotokana na Ripoti ya Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Hesabu za Serikali (CAG), aliyekagua miamala ya Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow.
Katika maazimio ya Bunge, baadhi ya viongozi ambao chombo hicho kiliona wana makosa na kutaka mamlaka zao za uteuzi ziwachukulie hatua, ni Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, Profesa Muhongo, Waziri wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi, Profesa Tibaujuka, Jaji Werema, Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Nishati na Madini Eliakim Maswi na wajumbe wa Bodi ya Wakurugenzi ya Tanesco.
***************
Prof. Tibaijuka: Siachii Uwaziri
WAZIRI wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi, Profesa Anna Tibaijuka, ametangaza msimamo wake kuwa kamwe hawezi kujiuzulu wadhifa wake wa Uwaziri kwa sababu ya kuhusishwa katika sakata la Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow.
Prof. Tibaijuka aliyasema hayo Dar es Salaam jana wakati akizungumza na waandishi wa habari.
Alisema hata kama angetangaza uamuzi wa kujiuzulu wadhifa wake, Rais Jakaya Kikwete, angemshangaa na asingeitendea haki dhana ya kuchakarika ili kuleta maendeleo nchini.
“Nijiuzulu kwa sababu gani... kwa sababu nimepata mchango wa shule, kujiuzulu sio fasheni, lazima kuwepo na kitu cha lazima cha kukufanya ujiuzulu si kwa michango iliyotolewa shuleni.
“Kujiuzulu kwangu kungemshangaza hata aliyenipa kazi ya Uwaziri, mimi ni mstaafu wa Umoja wa Mataifa, nimefanya kazi kwa uadilifu mkubwa hivyo masuala ya Escrow yakifika huko na watu wasikie nimeiba fedha, watashangaa,” alisema.
Alisisitiza kuwa, katika sakata hilo hana sehemu ya kusimama na kutangaza kujiuzulu kwani haoni fedhea kupata fedha hizo kutoka kwa James Rugemalira bali anaona fahari kufanikisha upatikanaji mchango kwa ajili ya shule.
“Labda kama itaonekana aliyechangia alitoa fedha haramu na hilo litakuwa jambo lingine... kama Rugemalira alikuwa na fedha haramu zitarudishwa.
“Shirika letu la Joha Trust, halikai na fedha haramu,” alisema Prof. Tibaijuka ambaye alidai kusikitishwa na Kamati ya Kudumu ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Serikali (PAC), kumhukumu pasipo kumpa nafasi ya kumsikiliza.
Alisema Kamati hiyo chini ya Mwenyekiti wake, Bw. Zitto Kabwe, imemshangaza kwani wakati PAC inafanyakazi yake alikuwa Mjini Dodoma lakini hawakumuita na kudai jibu wanalo wao hivyo wanapaswa kuulizwa.
“Wanasema wizi ni dhambi, lakini hata uongo ni dhambi, unaweza kusababisha vita na machafuko,” alifafanua Prof.
Tibaijuka na kusisitiza ni haki ya kila mtu kusikilizwa kabla ya kuhukumiwa kwani hata Adam na Eva walivyokula tunda la Edeni, walisikilizwa kabla ya kuhukumiwa.
Aliongeza kuwa, hakuna dhambi kubwa kama kuuaminisha umma na Watanzania kwamba wameiba kwa kuchota kiasi kikubwa cha fedha hivyo yeye kamwe hawezi kurudi nyuma.
Akielezea jinsi alivyopata fedha hizo kutoka kwa Bw. Rugemalira, alisema tangu mwaka 1998, alikuwa mchangishaji mkubwa wa fedha kwa ajili ya uendeshaji shule ya Barbro Johansson Girls.
Alisema waliona hawawezi kufanya yote yanayohitajika katika shule hiyo bila wadau kujitoa hivyo mwaka 2012 walimwandikia barua Bw. Reginald Mengi na Bw. Rugemalira kupitia kampuni yake ya Mabibo Beer Wines and Spirits Limited.
“Februari 2014, bila kutaja ni kiasi gani, Bw. Rugemalira alinijulisha kuwa yuko tayari kuchangia kwa sharti la Tibaijuka kufungua akaunti Benki ya Mkombozi.
“Rugemalira hakutaka kuhangaika kuhamisha fedha kwenda benki zingine ambako kulikuwa na akaunti za shule hivyo yeye kama mwanzilishi wa shule, alifungua akaunti katika benki hiyo Februari 3 mwaka huu na kupokea mchango wa sh. bilioni 1.6,” alisema Prof. Tibaijuka.
Aliongeza kuwa, Februari 13 mwaka huu aliijulisha Bodi juu ya mchango huo hivyo walikubaliana upelekwe Benki M ambako walikuwa wanadaiwa mkopo wa zaidi ya sh. bilioni 2.
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Tibaijuka: Mimi na Muhongo ni majembe ya JK
Asifiwe George na Ester Mnyika, Dar es Salaam,
WAZIRI wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi, Profesa Anna Tibaijuka, amesema hatojiuzulu kwa sababu kufanya hivyo si fasheni.
Pamoja na kauli hiyo, pia ameweka bayana kuwa yeye na Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, Profesa Sospeter Muhongo, bado wanategemewa na Rais Jakaya Kikwete katika kumsaidia kufanya kazi.
Kauli ya Profesa Tibaijuka imekuja siku chache baada ya kujiuzulu kwa aliyekuwa Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali, Jaji Frederick Werema kutokana na kashfa ya uchotwaji wa zaidi ya Sh bilioni 300 katika Akauti ya Tegeta Escrow iliyokuwa imefunguliwa Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT).
Mbali na hayo, waziri huyo alieleza endapo uchunguzi utafanywa na kubaini fedha ambazo ziliingizwa kwenye akaunti yake na mmiliki wa Kampuni ya VIP Engineering, James Rugemalira si halali, basi yupo tayari kuzirudisha.
Akizungumza Dar es Salaam jana kuhusu kuhusishwa kwake na sakata la Akaunti ya Escrow, Profesa Tibaijuka alisema wanaodhani kwamba anatarajia kujiuzulu wanakosea kwani kufanya hivyo si kutenda haki katika dhana ya maendeleo.
Profesa Tibaijuka alisema anavishangaa baadhi ya vyombo vya habari na mitandao ya kijamii kwa kumwita ‘Mama Escrow’ huku akiweka wazi na kujiita yeye ni ‘mama wa migogoro ya ardhi’ na si ‘mama wa migogoro ya Escrow’.
“Mlifikiri nimekuja kujiuzulu, kumbe ndiyo maana mmekuja wengi, sikuja kujiuzulu ng’o kwani sina kosa na siwezi kujiuzulu kwa ajili ya mchango wa shule. Nikijiuzulu nitakuwa sitendi haki katika dhana ya maendeleo na kujiuzulu siyo fasheni.
“Sijaja kujiuzulu wala kutetea watu wenye madhambi, pia uongo ukirudiwa mara nyingi unageuka na kuwa ukweli, kilichonileta hapa ni kufafanua lengo la fedha hizo ambazo zilikuwa za shule ingawa suala lenyewe linaonekana kuwa na utata.
“Fedha hizo zilitolewa na watu wenye nia njema ya elimu kwa watoto wa kike kwani kipindi hicho elimu yao ilikuwa katika kiwango cha chini tofauti na wavulana hali iliyoleta mvutano kuwa watafutiwe kiwango maalumu cha ufaulu.
“Wizi na uongo ni dhambi, tusiwe watu wa kuhukumu kwani ni dhambi ya mauti, sikuwahi kuitwa na Kamati ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Serikali inayoongozwa na Zitto Kabwe wala kamati yoyote kueleza suala hilo na nilishangaa kuona jina langu lipo kwenye orodha ya Escrow,” alisema Profesa Tibaijuka.
Katika mkutano huo, Tibaijuka alisisitiza kuwa anaona fahari kufanikisha mchango wa shule yake iliyoingiziwa fedha hizo, na kwamba aliyemfadhili aliweka masharti ya kufungua akaunti Benki ya Mkombozi pekee na kisha kuingiziwa kiasi cha Sh bilioni 1.617.
Aidha alisema maazimio yaliyotolewa na Bunge ya kutaka uchunguzi uendelee kufanyika, bado yamekuwa yakileta mkanganyiko kwani azimio namba tatu linataka waliohusika wawajibishwe.
“Nikijiuzulu hata Rais Jakaya Kikwete atanishangaa kwani fedha nilizopata ni za shule na kwa ajili kukomboa elimu nchini, hasa kwa watoto wa kike kutokana na wazazi wengi kutoweza kumudu gharama za shule,’’ alisema.
Alisema utata huo utaondoka kwa kutoa elimu kwa wananchi na endapo kuna suala lolote ambalo halikueleweka aliwataka wanahabari kumuuliza maswali mengine Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bunge ya Hesabu za Serikali (PAC), Zitto Kabwe.
Waziri huyo alisema udalali wake wa fedha hizo ni kwa ajili ya wanafunzi katika shule za Taasisi ya Barbro Johansson Girls’ Education Trust ambazo zilitoka katika kampuni ya James Rugemalira kama msaada kwa shule hiyo.
Alisema udalali wake ni kutafuta fedha kwa ajili ya elimu nchini, ambapo alidai hata Mwenyekiti wa Makampuni ya IPP , Dk. Reginald Mengi alitoa Sh milioni 248 kwa ajili ya msaada wa shule hiyo.
Profesa Tibaijuka alisema wananchi watambue yeye ni mstaafu wa Umoja wa Mataifa, hivyo hawezi kufanya hivyo na kama angetaka fedha hiyo angeweza kuzifuata hata katika shule na kuchukua.
Desemba 16, mwaka huu aliyekuwa Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali, Jaji Frederick Werema ambaye ni mmoja wa watuhumiwa katika kashfa ya Escrow alitangaza kujiuzulu.
Hatua hiyo ya Werema ilikuja wakati Watanzania wakiwa bado wanasubiri uamuzi wa Rais Kikwete kuhusu maamizio nane ya Bunge yaliyotokana na Ripoti ya Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Hesabu za Serikali (CAG), aliyekagua miamala ya Akaunti ya Tegeta Escrow.
Katika maazimio ya Bunge, baadhi ya viongozi ambao chombo hicho kiliona wana makosa na kutaka mamlaka zao za uteuzi ziwachukulie hatua, ni Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, Profesa Muhongo, Waziri wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi, Profesa Tibaujuka, Jaji Werema, Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Nishati na Madini Eliakim Maswi na wajumbe wa Bodi ya Wakurugenzi ya Tanesco.
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