THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Samuel Sitta (pictured), has come out with scathing remarks against corruption, saying the vice especially in shoddy contracts, will cost the country dearly.Addressing a press conference here yesterday, ahead of the CPA conference which starts officially today, Mr Sitta, who is also the President of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), said that Tanzania would suffer such costs through debt servicing.
Now we spend about 35 per cent of our budget on debt servicing, but well reach 50 per cent if such shoddy contracts are not checked and if we reach such a stage, we shall be finished. Corruption has reached alarming level and that is why you see some of us have decided to seriously fight against it, he said.
Mr Sitta said corrupt elements (mafisadi) were destroying the country and costs of corruption in the country would be borne by future generation. According to the Speaker, Africa lost about 20 billion US Dollars last year alone through corruption.
The amount is above total aid received by the continent, this is dangerous.
Corruption is a big problem in Africa, corrupt people are now using their ill gotten money to control political and economic spheres.
They are now putting their puppets in corridors of powers to maintain their hold. For instance, theyre placing their puppets in civic elections, he noted.
Mr Sitta said that the CPA conference would deliberate on corruption, when discussing “developing mechanism to remedy root causes of political, economic and social conflicts” and “Policy Responses to the Global Financial Crisis.
Corruption in Africa is a major source of conflicts; few people are amassing wealth through corruption, at the expense of the majority.
Many are aggrieved with such accumulation of wealth by few people and this causes conflicts in the society. Few people are holding the economic and political power, causing sufferings to the people and the marginalised, this is very dangerous noted Mr Sitta.
Other topics to be discussed include Coalition Governments: Parliamentary Democracy in Dilemma , The Role of Parliament in Shaping Information Society and Climate Change: Are policy solutions working?
Meanwhile, the 55 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference, which starts here officially today, will cost about 3bn/-. Mr Sitta said that such costs would be recovered through conference fees because some participants were paying up to 3,500 US Dollars per head, as participation fee.
Over 800 delegates from 53 countries are attending the conference. The delegates are also expected to scale Mt Kilimanjaro and visit Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park , Tarangire and Zanzibar. Chairperson of CPA (Tanzania Branch), Dr Raphael Chageni and his deputy, Mrs Beatrice Shellukindo, commended the hosting of the conference in Tanzania.
Its high time now for Tanzanians to promote our country, weve everything to be proud of. The conference is an opportunity economically and politically, said Dr Chegeni.
Daily News
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