Tanzania’s prime minister is under pressure to resign over alleged fraudulent payments worth $120m (\u00a376m) to an energy firm and top officials.<\/p>\n
Mizengo Pinda failed to properly oversee government finances, a parliamentary watchdog committee said.<\/p>\n
It also called for the resignation of two powerful government ministers. All three have denied any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Last month, donors suspended about $490m in aid to Tanzania until the allegations were investigated.<\/p>\n
President Jakaya Kikwete took office in 2005 with a promise to tackle corruption in government, but critics accuse him of failing to live up to his pledge.
\n‘Public anger’<\/p>\n
Parliament, dominated by the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, is currently holding a special session to discuss the public accounts committee’s call for Mr Pinda’s resignation, despite his efforts to block the session.<\/p>\n
It shows how angry ruling party MPs are with the government over the issue, reports the BBC’s Aboubakar Famau from parliament in the capital, Dodoma.<\/p>\n
The committee’s investigation found government money had been taken from an escrow account, paid to an energy firm and then given to various government ministers, our correspondent says.<\/p>\n
The committee also called for the resignation of Attorney General Frederick Werema and Energy and Minerals Minister Sospeter Muhongo.<\/p>\n
Our reporter says the committee has reflected the public mood by calling for their resignations, with people pointing out that $120m could buy 40 million school desks or finance the studies of 10 million pupils.<\/p>\n
A group of 12 donors – including Japan, the UK, the World Bank and the African Development Bank – decided last month to withhold aid until the government took action over the alleged corruption, Reuters news agency reported at the time.<\/p>\n
MPs had accused senior officials of fraudulently authorising payment of around $120m from the escrow account held jointly by state power firm Tanesco and independent power producer IPTL to IPTL’s owner Pan Africa Power (PAP) in 2013.<\/p>\n
PAP said the transfer was legal, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Credit: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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