Hoseah: 5 reasons why i’ll not quit

The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Chief, Dr Edward Hoseah,  came out to defend himself and the agency over investigations into MPs alleged pocketing of double allowances.

Besides, the PCCB Director General said he would not bow to pressure and resign as demanded by the MPs who have also called on the government to sack him over his perceived defence of the infamous Richmond power generating company.

Addressing his first press conference following a scathing attack on the PCCB and himself by a section of the MPs under investigation, Dr Hoseah reiterated that the anti-corruption agency will be undeterred in pursuing its investigation.

He gave several reasons why he would not resign from his position or drop the case in which he was investigating scores of MPs for earning double allowances while executing their duties.

Terming MPs crusade to hound him out of office as “baseless” a beaming Dr Hoseah told reporters in his Dar es Salaam office that he would not quit because he had done nothing wrong.

“I won’t resign,I have since this morning been receiving several calls asking if I have stepped down but I have no plans to resign either,” Dr Hoseah noted.

He added: “MPs should be specific where I have gone wrong. But what I know is that I’m strict at my work and I will work for my fellow Tanzanians without fear or favour.” He said he would not die to remain in office should Parliament pass a vote of no confidence against him as there is life after PCCB.�
“This is not a position that will please everyone. We investigate even the most significant public officials and I don’t expect all of them to be happy with that kind of job if I was in their position,” he explained.

He addressed the press conference only a day after returning from a foreign trip during which pressure mounted back home from MPs who have branded his investigation a witch-hunt allegedly meant to silence those seen as questioning and fighting corruption in government.

He said he had done nothing wrong or broken any part of the law to deserve the kind of harsh criticism he was getting from Parliamentarians. “We are doing our work as stipulated in the PCCB act of 2007. We are targeting nobody here… I wonder why they are uncomfortable to corporate for the sake of natural justice! Where is the integrity of our leaders?” Dr Hoseah queried.

He said PCCB had also launched investigation into public institutions and Ministries that were providing additional allowances to the MPs.

In a strong hint yet that he may after all not be implicated in any wrong doing over the PCCB’s clearance of Richmond emergency power supply contract, Dr Hoseah told Journalists- “Please go and read the recent government report on Richmond and then from there you can either condemn me or not.”

He said by seeking to evade questioning, MPs were portraying double standards for a law that they enacted in the August House. He said he was also surprised because it is the same Parliament that asked PCCB in February to investigate claims of double allowance payments to legislators. He said other sources had also raised similar concerns that finally prompted the ongoing investigation.

It is illegal for MPs to receive allowances in Parliament working as members of the various sector committees and then ask for or receive additional payments from inspecting Ministries, Public institution and other government departments.

He said MPs were not above the law and should cooperate in efforts to put records clear. He said PCCB was investigating accusations that would require that MPs defend themselves instead of boycotting summons by the agency.

He reiterated that receiving more than one allowance for the same activity was illegal as per the law that allowed intervention by the relevant authorities.

He said, his office acknowledged complaints by MPs on the manner in which to question them but chided them saying they had the onus to allocate more funds to the agency so that suitable facilities that suit the MPs are established.

The debate over the saga was exacerbated by Kyela MP Dr Harrison Mwakyembe who addressed a press conference to say he would decline PCCB summons terming their investigation illegal and inappropriate.

Speake Samwel Sitta has added weight to the matter by defending the payments and revealed Parliament was put under undue pressure by unnamed government officials who sanctioned the move against them. Prime minister Mizengo Pinda is reported telling a closed door meeting with the MPs that the exercise would proceed as it had been ordered by state house.

This entry was posted on 04/11/2009 at 05:49 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.