Mwinyi reaffirms plans to transform ZAECA
PLANS are underway to transform Zanzibar Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes Authority (ZAECA) into a strong anti-bribery institution, President Hussein Mwinyi said here yesterday.
“We want a tough ZAECA…we will build strong and sustainable systems to ensure that all stolen public money is recovered and thieves ruthlessly punished,” Dr Mwinyi said at his routine monthly meeting with journalists.
Referring to the just released Controller and Auditor General’s (CAG) audit report, President Mwinyi said he has already ordered close follow ups on all audit queries in the report. “I have ordered the tracing and arrest of all offenders—we have lost colossal amount of money that must be recovered.”
Zanzibar CAG Dr Othman Ali Abbas presented his 2020/2021 audit report last week, revealing massive financial flaws, with infrastructure, communication and transport ministry alone implicated in the theft of over 1.3bn/-.
The CAG told the president at the Vuga State House-hosted event that the ministry’s principal secretary and accountant general had both conceded to have transferred the amount to various private bank accounts, pledging to refund the amount.
President Mwinyi blamed the massive thievery in the public sector on secrecy in CAG reports; weak public institutions and lack of accountability in public service.
“We now want to build strong systems in our institutions; boost the professional capacity of the government executives and take stern disciplinary and legal measures against the culprits,” said Dr Mwinyi, adding: “Colossal amount of money has been stolen; and others have conceded their misdeeds yet nothing has been done against them.”
Already, President Mwinyi has accepted resignation letter by ZAECA Director Ahmed Khamis Makarani over failure to spearhead the fight against bribery and economic sabotage.
He commended the CAG office for the great job in diagnosis of the problem in the country, saying: “The remaining work is for us all to accept the reality and work hard to get the lasting solution.”
Fielding questions from journalists, President Mwinyi belittled claims that some “heavy weights” in the government were crippling ZAECA performance.
“ZAECA was legally established and is obliged to perform its duties independently; the argument of not being supported by anybody doesn’t make any sense because the authority doesn’t need anyone’s support, anyway—it has to perform its duties,” Dr Mwinyi responded to a question over ZAECA lacking support from government leaders.
The president said the government intends to renovate Unguja-based Abeid Amani Karume International Airport’s (AAKIA) terminal two to modernise and enable it to provide quality services.
Responding to concerns over the duping of investors in northern Unguja, President Mwinyi vowed stern measures against the deceitful individuals who rip-off hapless people but reminded prospective investors to use appropriate government institutions in pursuit of their business goals.
“We have ZIPA (Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency), which is the government arm to handle investors; all investors should make good use of this institution,” he said, noting that some people opt to pursue their issues informally and turn to the government once they are duped.
The president was responding to claim of investors being deceived of millions of dollars through an illegal purchase of investment land.
Meanwhile, President Mwinyi on Monday vowed to revoke some municipal and town councils over failure to maintain cleanness.
“How comes an entire council fails to own even a single garbage collection truck; they are only busy paying themselves allowances; they have lost their relevance,” President Mwinyi said of a proposal to have the central government buying waste trucks for the municipal and town councils.
“Our environment is stinking filthy; what else are we able of doing if we can’t even collect garbage,” fumed the president.
