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Five grand corruption `sharks` named
IPP Limited Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi yesterday named five people he described as ``notoriously corrupt sharks``.
He also called on the public to be more courageous in stamping out corruption, a monster he said has been eating up Tanzania’s resources and stealing people`s precious time.
Addressing a news conference in Dar es Salaam, Mengi said the country was facing serious problems due to grand corruption and was ``troubled by the fact that the people involved in acts of corruption do not want to be touched``.
He explained that the “notoriously corrupt people” were involved in almost all scandals the country has been witnessing.
These include those revolving around the Richmond and Dowans emergency power generation contracts, the Bank of Tanzania`s external payment arrears account (EPA), purchases of military helicopters and vehicles, the presidential jet, Radar, National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) and National Lottery.
Here is the full text of the statement the IPP Executive Chairman issued at yesterday`s news conference:
``Our country is currently facing a huge problem of corruption and is troubled by the fact that the people involved in acts of corruption do not what to be touched.
The resolve by our President, His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, to fight corruption and all other evils has shaken these people and they are now determined more than ever to combat all the people who are supporting the President in stopping further plunder of our country`s resources.
``Tanzanians should know that people who are being accused of being corrupt in our country do not exceed ten, and out of the ten, five are being accused of being notoriously corrupt - ``corrupt sharks``.
``These are: Rostam Aziz, Tanil Somaiya, Yusuf Manji, Jeethu Patel and Subash Patel.
These people are being accused of stealing billions of public money, and to make this worse, the billions have been transferred out of the country.
``These notoriously corrupt people are involved in almost all scandals that have happened in our country, including those concerning Richmond, EPA, Dowans, Army helicopters and vehicles, the Presidential Jet, Radar, NSSF, PSPF, National Lottery etc, etc.
``The great efforts of His Excellency the President to hasten economic development and better living for every Tanzanian are weakened by the horrendous theft of national resources.
A great majority of Tanzanians still face extreme poverty; they are unable to determine where the one meal a day is going to come from.
To make things worse, where a Tanzanian with better means provides assistance to lessen hardship within the society and to eradicate poverty, these people involved in corruption allege that such assistance has political agenda. They want Tanzanians to starve or die as a result of other problems.
``It seems that their aim now is to cause national havoc; it will not be surprising to learn that these people support what is behind DECI while Tanzanians remain chasing Pastors instead of asking themselves the real source of the havoc.
``These notoriously corrupt people are not only stealing our national resources; they are also stealing our precious time.
Instead of using our time for economic development we are using most of it to combat corruption.
``Our efforts have failed to even cause a dent; instead these corrupt people have been hardened in their determination.
They have established newspapers that are abusive and treat Tanzanians with contempt.
``They have created a scenario where the thief chases and attacks the person from whom he has stolen.
Even as Tanzanians continue to cry foul, the notoriously corrupt people continue to use their ill-obtained wealth to influence the granting of big contracts to them often in different names.
``Millions of Tanzanians are combating corruption, but there are a few who have come forward vehemently and are known by their names.
The notoriously corrupt people have been heard to say that they will annihilate these vehement combatants.
``The notoriously corrupt people should know that if the combatants are harmed in any way in this country or any other country, they will be answerable to the people of Tanzania.
``We Tanzanians must now ask ourselves - what gives these notoriously corrupt people the audacity to treat Tanzanians with contempt?
``I would like to conclude by saying that all corrupt people and especially those who are being accused of notorious corruption must be dealt with conclusively, otherwise they will rock the stability of our nation. We must realise that we have now reached the stage when we must say enough is enough.``
SOURCE: Guardian
2009-04-24 12:52:23
By Patrick Kisembo
These are indeed serious allegations. If few people are in that level of control, then, we are in serious trouble. This being a publicly made statement, I urge all responsible to take action accordingly.We will be accountable to our generations.
ReplyDeleteMr. Mengi thank you for enlighting us and coming up as boldly as nobody would think. This is not only brave, but a classical demonstration of citizenship.
Aika mbe!
Dr. Emmanuel Matechi
Wajemni sijaona pa kusign,mi naona votes tu!vp?au ndo utaratibu ule ule?kukaa kimya na kufatalia interests binafsi(soka,basketball etc)bila kujari vizazi vyetu vijavyo?
ReplyDeleteDr Kiva,tukianza na ao wa Tano itakuwa vyema sana.Na kama watachukuliwa hatua za maana basi ata wengine watatajwa(including baba,dada,kaka zetu)!
Najua wapo wengi
Although Mengi didn't bring up any new name as far as grand corruption is concerned, it was in the way he passionately explained it that sent a chill down my spine. It made the whole thing fresh.
ReplyDeleteHow can a few people wreak so much havoc to their fellow citizens? I don't believe in racism. As African's we are not known to be racist, so the list as it stands to me it is just coincidental. I urge fellow Tanzania to support Mengi's bold move, so we can finally win over this war.
Looks like we are fighting for our independence once again. Nyerere freed us from the shackles of colonialists, now we have to free ourselves from grand corruption, and of course, from sharks.
Mengi ameonyesha njia wapi pa kuanzia,kilichobaki ni vielelezo vipelekwe kwenye mamlaka husika ili hatua stahili zichukuliwe dhidi ya mafisadi hawa PAPA,na iwe ndio chachu ya kuwashughulikia wengine pasipo kupoteza muda kwani tumeshavumulia vya kutosha.
ReplyDeleteNamuunga mkono Bwana Mengi ,na ndugu watanzania tutoe ushirikiano kwa mambo kama haya ili kuliletea heshima Taifa letu tukufu la Tanzania
Bwana mengi ametuonyesha njia ni wapi pa kuanzia ,kilichobaki ni vielelezo vipelekwa kwenye mamlaka husika ili hatua sahihi ziweze kutekelezwa.
ReplyDeleteBwana Mengi nakupongeza sana ,usife moyo tupo pamoja katika mapambano haya.
this is what patriotism is all about, i fully support the move done by Mr. Mengi and all of you who are at the war front against corruption in this country,..together we will win the battle.
ReplyDeleteI strongly support Mr. Reginald Mengi`s bold stand of stepping out into the brightness and mention the names of the champions of corruption in Tanzania. As we all witness these are not new names in our ears, we have been hearing these names whenever there is a discussion or claims surrounding corruption. All along people have been talking about corruption and how it affects Tanzania as a country but not once have someone who is not a politician (no offense but some of us we think Tanzania politicians and their so called politics are just playing games and we do not take what they say seriously (they have brought this to themselves anyway))pioneered to step into the light and talk about it boldly prior to Mr. Mengi. I strongly think now is the right time for all of us to support Mr. Mengi in what could be the best decision for Tanzania for years to come. Our generations will speak of us someday as real patriots and not just one of many lazy speechless Tanzanians who are ok with anything as long as it does not involve killing him/her physically
ReplyDeleteI as one support whatever decision this great gathering is geared to demonstrate our support for Mr Mengi and his bold move. This is not for us at all but it is for our kids and generations to come.
God bless Tanzania
I believe this is a very good start on fighting corruption in Tanzania. As far as I know, there are more than those 5 mentioned sharks;there are white, tiger, fierce sharks more than those Mengi mentioned. I believe by supporting Mr Mengi, many of these Sharks will be revealed. It time for a change,big change, and yes, even Tanzania can have that change. Lets get out there and be the change we need to see.
ReplyDeleteHongera Mzee Mengi kwa "kumfunga paka kengele". Japokuwa utapata ukinzani mkubwa, endeleza mapambano, jua tupo wengi nyuma yako tukikuunga mkono; mimi binafsi nakuomba sana uwaonyeshe wazi kuwa mshahara wa dhambi ni mauti...kwa kuwapeleka mahakamani na kuthibitisha tuhuma hizi ili vita isiishie kuwa maneno ya kizushi na manung'uniko tu, iwe wakati muafaka kabisa wa kuwapa mshahara wao!
ReplyDeleteAluta continua,
Hamisi A. Kigwangalla.
KWA MOYO WANGU WOTE NAMUUNGA MKONO BW. REGINALD MENGI KWENYE VITA DHIDI YA MAFISADI PAPA!
ReplyDeleteBig up Mzee Mengi, kwa kuwataja mapapa waofanya watanzania waendeleee kuishi katika umaskini mkubwa, Tuko pamoja katika vita hii pevu.
ReplyDeleteMzalendo wa Kweli husema Kweli hata kama itawaumiza watu na kutafuta sababu za kujitetea ila Ukweli utabaki Ukweli daima
ReplyDeleteMzee Mengi,
ReplyDeleteWananchi wanye nia njema na Tanzania tuko nyuma yako. Asanate kwa kuwamulika "mapapa" kwa majina. Kazi kwetu sasa...na hatutakuangusha.
Mengi's action is heroic. He deserves public support, not scorn and derision. Find my full opinion on my blog
ReplyDeleteAnyone that belives in upholding the rule of Tanzania should not support Mengi's accusations Publishing such allegations without evidence of truth amounts to criminal libel in accordance with the penal code of Tanzania.
ReplyDeleteNo problem for Mengi it seems as Prime Minister Pinda has condoned his allegations in today’s IPP Media publication, The Guardian as being his'constitutional right'.
Reginald Mengi has underscored the need for journalists to abide by professional ethics and respect for truth and privacy. Addressing a news conference in his office in Dar es Salaam on 10th April 2009 Mengi accused newspapers '.........sponsored by corrupt suspects, of relentlessly publishing stories full of mischief and falsehoods ...' about him and his family. Given these statements one would expect that Mengi would be particularly mindful of the conduct of IPP Media given, as chief executive officer he is ultimately accountable for the journalistic practices of the group.
In May 2004, Benjamin Mengi, Reginald Mengi’s brother, assigned (through Fiona Tanzania Ltd) the lease to Silverdale & Mbono Farms (Hai District) to British investor Stewart Middleton (Silverdale Tanzania Ltd) in full compliance with the laws of Tanzania. In May 2005, Mengi began negotiating with another British investor Konrad Legg (Tudeley Estates) to sell the lease to him a second time and demanded the lease back. He then claimed he had not been paid in full despite, signing a receipt.
The investors allege, that when they refused to hand the lease back to Mengi, they were then subjected to legal abuse, violence and intimidation at the hands of Mengi and State institutions particularly the police ad judiciary. A background of what is now known as they 'Silverdale Case' can be read at:-
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2008-02-27b.272.0
An objective examination of IPP Media’s ‘investigative’ and ‘accountable’ journalism in respect of the 'Silverdale Case' reveals a worrying story in relation to IPP Media's conduct which shows little or no regard for good journalistic practice or indeed, that Mengi is prepared to practice what he preaches in respect of journalistic ethics.
On 22nd November 2005, the Guardian and Nipashe newspapers accused Mr. Middleton of issuing a dud cheque to Benjamin Mengi for $7,000 and that he and his Tanzanian Technical Manager had forged the lease to Silverdale & Mbono Farms.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2005/11/22/54489.html
There is no offence of issuing a ‘bogus’ cheque under the Penal Code of Tanzania, no charge sheet was produced in court and when it was produced the charges were clearly forged at the hands of Inspector Janeth, of the Moshi police and Benjamin Mengi as they complainant. No formal arrest had been made of the men who were denied legal representation. Investigative journalism would have established and revealed these simple facts. It did not. Further, IPP Media did not report the fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew all charges against the men when he had been apprised of the facts of the complaint.
On 19th January 2006, the Guardian and Nipashe Newspapers accused Mr. Middleton of stealing articles of equipment from Silverdale & Mbono Farms and destroying structures and uprooting coffee trees. It repeated again (after all charges had been dropped by the DPP) the fact that Mr. Middleton was accused of issuing a fake cheque to Benjamin Mengi and of forging the lease to Silverdale & Mbono Farms. It also stated that Benjamin Mengi had taken possession of Silverdale & Mbono Farms.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2006/01/19/58115.html
The publications did not state, that Mr. Mengi’s application to have the investor evicted from the farms was dismissed by the High Court Moshi (Lands Division) by Hon. Kileo or that no criminal charges were pending against the investor or his staff (Land Case 1. 2006). On 24th May 2006, the Guardian accused Mr. Middleton of preventing a court entourage onto his home Silverdale Farm, stating that the purpose of the visit was to allow doctors to exhume bodies of animals kept on the farm by Mrs Millie Mengi.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2006/05/24/67061.html.
Mrs. Millie Mengi has issued a civil plaint against Mr. Middleton accusing him of killing her animals kept unlawfully on Silverdale Farm and of forging a quarantine order issued by Zonal Veterinary Officer Dr. Swai in March 2006 who declared the animals to be suffering from Foot & Mouth Disease and imposed a Quarantine order on the animals. The publication did not state the fact that Mr. Middleton was not present on the farm when the entourage led by Mengi attended, that the court order was issued before the hearing for the order and that Mrs. Mengi had no lawful right to keep animals on the farm and could remove them at any time she wished.
On 20th July 2006, Mr. Middleton was once again arrested on allegations brought against him by Mrs. Millie Mengi. This time he was accused of breaching a civil court order. Mr. Middleton was brought before the court, refused bail and sent to Karanga Prison by Moshi Resident Magistrate, Temu and held in a prison cage outside the High Court in Moshi. IPP Media reported the arrest and imprisonment the following day.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2006/07/20/70739.html
The Daily News reported on July 26th, 2006, that the High Court in Moshi ordered the immediate release of Mr. Middleton ruling that there was no evidence to support his arrest. IPP Media publications did not report these facts. On 3rd February 2007, the Guardian newspaper accused four members of Mr. Middleton’s staff of attacking one Salim Habib, an employee of Benjamin Mengi with Pangas on Silverdale Farm without reason. The publication further stated that Mr. Middleton had stood by and watched the assault. This information was also broadcast on IPP Media Radio 1 Network. IPP Media newspaper the Nipashe carried a further article some days later stating that Mr. Middleton’s staff were now ‘on the run’ having absconded from bail. As a matter of public record, this was a blatant lie. As a matter of public record, no member of Mr. Middleton’s staff had been arrested however, Salim Habib Mengi’s cattle manager had been arrested and charged with Malicious Damage by driving forty head of adult cattle belonging to Mrs Millie Mengi onto a two hectare field of commercial maize on Silverdale Farm destroying crops and causing $20,000 of damage.
IPP Media did not report this. On 11th April 2007, the Guardian and Nipashe newspapers reported that Mr. Middleton and his wife had been ordered to pay 90m/-for defamation, based on comments accredited to them in the Daily News on June 2006.
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2007/04/11/88175.htm
One would think, that being fully apprised of the laws of Libel that IPP Media would know, that in cases of Libel, only the writer, printer and publisher of the material could be sued. As such, the case and the judgment were completely outside of the courts powers. IPP Media did not print this or the fact that the investor’s lawyers Moshi advocate Westgate Lumambo had deliberately failed to file a defence in the case, which was heard without Mr. Middleton being present in court. The publications stated Mr. Middleton had accused Benjamin Mengi of bribery and corruption. In fact, the person accredited with these remarks was Dr. Juma Ngasongwa Minister for Empowerment, Investment& Planning. IPP Media did not state this or the fact that he had not been sued. Instead of demonstrating a commitment to investigative journalism with a commitment to fighting corruption and good governance, the above media practice amounts to nothing short of a cowardly, deliberately inaccurate and abusive attack on the British investors, which appears to be nothing short of journalistic terrorism.
All the publications are couched in a language of suspicion and unqualified accusations of guilt against Mr. Middleton and his staff. No right of reply was ever given and all viciously attack Mr. Middleton’s commercial interest and reputation, not only in Tanzania but worldwide given the articles were published on the Internet.
In November 2005, Reginald Gave his personal assurance to former British High Commissioner to Tanzania Andrew Pocock that IPP Media would not engage in defamatory practices against the British investors in the 'Silverdale Case'.
Clearly he did not keep his promise.
The moral of the story is, if you live in a glasshouse, don't throw stones.
I BROADLY SPEAKING DO SUPPORT THIS GRAND MOVE AGAINST A GRAND CORRUPTION RING THAT LOOKS APPARENTLY DEEP ROOTED AND ONE WORTH ROOTING-OUT!.
ReplyDeleteJames M.
After reading both sides of the story, especially the "Silverdale case" which has been debated in the British parliament, it appears to me that both Mengi and the other side he accuses are the "Sharks" of corruption in Tanzania. Indeed, they both live in the "glasshouse" which need to be broken by outsiders. Shame on the Tanzania leaders, bussinessmen their judiciary for eating off the backs of the poorest.
ReplyDelete