By Ayoub Mzee-London
UK's International Development Committee questioned DFID, MOJ, The Serious Fraud office and BAE Systems on Financial Crimes today in committee Committee Room 8, The Palace of Westminster. The Committee took evidence from:
At 10.00
- Philip Bramwell, Group General Counsel, BAE Systems PLC
- Bob Keen, Head of Government Relations, BAE Systems PLC
- Lord Cairns, Independent Chair, BAE Systems PLC Advisory Board on Tanzania
At 10.45
- Richard Alderman, Director, Serious Fraud Office
At 11.30
- Rt Hon Alan Duncan, Minister of State, Department for International Development
- Rt Hon Lord McNally, Minister of State, Ministry of Justice
- Phil Mason, Head, Anti- Corruption, Department for International Development
- Joy Hutcheon, Acting Director General, Department for International Development
- Tim Jewell, Deputy Director, Criminal Law Team, Legal Directorate, Ministry of Justice
This was a one-off evidence session with two broad aims.
The first and second panels examined the background to the agreement between BAE Systems and the Serious Fraud Office arising from the criminal offence of improper book keeping, which BAE Systems admitted in connection with the sale of a military Air Traffic Control system to the government of Tanzania. The panels also addressed the issue of how the people of Tanzania will benefit from the reparations that BAE Systems has agreed to pay.
The third panel examined the BAE Systems and Tanzania case as well as whether the case allows any general lessons to be drawn about how best to combat financial crimes, including bribery, in developing countries.
The session also went on to look at the working of the Bribery Act and the Government’s guidance.
The UK parliamentary committee which comprised of Malcom Bruce MP (Chair lib Dems ),Hugh Bailey MP (Labour )Richard Burden(Labour), Sam Gyimah (Conservatives),Richard Hamington Mp (Conservatives),Pauline Latham (conservatives) Jeremy Lefroy MP( conservatives) ,Michael Maccann MP(conservatives)Anas SarwarMP(Labour) ,Chris white MP ( conservatives) were appalled by the fact that The $47 million that BAE has been ordered to pay to the "Tanzanian people" will be dispersed via selected NGOs, rather than to the government of Tanzania and were also amazed at the length of time BAE is taking to reach a decision.
Tanzania's High Commissioner to the UK Amb. Peter Kallaghe is all smiles |
The DFID was in the view that they have a great respect of the Tanzania parliamentary scrutiny procedures, a growing investigative journalism and government collective responsibility. DFID said that if Tanzania is good enough to account for the budgetary supplementary from the UK , then it must be good enough for the funds from BAE .Hon Alan Duncan, minister of state, DFID, concluded by saying that the only people are good enough to handle this money are the people of Tanzania through their democratically elected government.
The low side of this is that the parliamentary committee has no legal powers on BAE in terms of specific performance
That is a very good decision. It is our Government, we put it there. We did not vote for any NGO'S, so we cannot hold them accountable for any misappropriations of our money! Next time, understand the power of the ballot you cast!
ReplyDeletehata mimi ninashukuru sana kusikia hizo pesa zitarudishiwa serikali. hao watu ilikuwa janja yao kutaka kuwapa ngo hizo pesa ili some of it zirudi kwao kwa kuwalipa hao ngos ambao wengi ni kutoka kwao na kununua vifaa mbali mbali kutoka kwao kwa bei ya juu sana. hizi nchi za first world zijue sasa africa inaamka na hawataki kuonewa tena. wewe unawezaje kuchukua pesa kutoka kwangu halafu kesho unapanga kuwa kunirudishia hizo pesa utampa mke yangu kwasababu eti yeye atazitumia vizuri. ukirudisha pesa za mtu unarudisha kwa yule mtu aliyekupa pesa na sio kwa mtu mwingine.
ReplyDeleteSerikali yatahadharishwa kuhusu masuala ya ardhi, uraia
ReplyDeleteNa Dege Masoli
Serikali imeshauriwa kuzingatia maoni ya wadau waliyoyatoa wakati wa mchakato wa kutafuta jinsi ya matumizi ya ardhi katika ushirikiano wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki (EAC) katika suala la kutoa ardhi na uraia kwa wananchi wa Rwanda .
Aidha serikali imetakiwa kuepuka kutoa maamuzi kwa wepesi katika masuala mazito, hasa yanayohusu kulinda maslahi ya wananchi na taifa kwa ujumla.
Hayo yalielezwa na mwanaharakati wa masuala ya haki za binadamu mkoa wa Tanga, Asseli Shewally, wakati akisisitiza umuhimu wa serikali kufuata maoni ya wadau waliyoyatoa kupinga matumizi ya pamoja ya ardhi katika Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.
Shewally, alisema kuridhia kutoa ardhi na uraia kwa wananchi wa Rwanda inaonyesha kwamba serikali haikuelewa maana ya wananchi kupinga matumizi ya pamoja ya ardhi ndani ya ushirikiano wa nchi EAC.
“Suala hili la ardhi na kutoa uraia si la kunong’onezana ni la kitaifa na kulifanya siri ni makosa. Serikali inaonekana kufanya maamuzi kuwa wepesi katika masuala mazito kama haya, jambo ambalo ni hatari kwa mustakabali wa nchi yetu,” alisema Shewally.
Alisema lengo la wadau kupinga matumizi ya ardhi katika Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki ni kuilinda isichukuliwe na mtu na badala yake itumike kwa manufaa ya wote na vizazi vijavyo na kwamba kuwakabidhi raia wa Rwanda ni sawa na serikali kutoa ardhi kwa mlango wa nyuma.
Alitahadharisha kwamba, endapo serikali haitakuwa makini na suala la ardhi na ikaendelea kuitoa kama zawadi kwa nchi marafiki athari zake zinaweza kujitokeza miaka 35 ijayo, ambapo maamuzi hayo yataweza kusababisha kuzuka migogoro mikubwa ya kugombea ardhi baina ya wazawa na raia wa kigeni.
Hata hivyo alimtaka Rais Jakaya Kikwete na serikali kwa ujumla kutambua kwamba nchi za Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki zinaimezea mate Tanzania kutokana na fursa mbalimbali zilizopo ikiwemo ardhi na kuwasisitiza Wabunge kuwa wawakilishi wazuri wa wananchi katika kupinga suala hilo.
CHANZO: NIPASHE
hata zikirudi watagawana...
ReplyDeleteHuu ni uamuzi ambao umefikiwa kumaitain diplomatic relation. Waingereza kunamaslahi mengine wanachuma huku Tanzania wasingependa wakatiwe kwa kuvunja uhusiano kwa sababu ya visent. Hii ni danganya Toto kama marekani inavyomsifia JK wakati yeye ni poor performer of all african leaders. Ila analinda interest zao.
ReplyDelete