Minister of State in the President’s
Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Angela Kairuki,
told the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Local Government,
that out of the 3,082 corruption case files currently under
investigation, 1,357 cases (44.03 per cent) involve the local
governments.
She explained that by last June, 509
corruption cases were filed in various courts, with 209 cases,
equivalent to 41 per cent, involving the local governments, followed by
the health sector that had 63 cases, equivalent to 12 per cent.
The minister said that the development
of science and technology globally has come with new challenges in the
fight against corruption. “Currently, people engaging in corruption use
modern techniques, making it difficult to prove the bribery charges
against them before the court,” Ms Kairuki said, adding that in
addressing the challenges, the Prevention and Combating of Corruption
Bureau (PCCB) in 2014 established a forensic laboratory to investigate
corrupt allegations through modernised techniques.
Ms Kairuki, further said that, PCCB has
saved about 44bn/-, which is an increment from the 36.78bn/- saved in
2014/2015. “PCCB has put in place a new system of monitoring public
expenditure in the implementation of various development projects under
local governments to ensure value for money,” said the minister.
Ms Kairuki noted that the Grand
Corruption Court is scheduled to start operating soon after completion
of its operational regulations and justices’ training. The court comes
with the system to hear and conclude the cases within not more than six
months.
The committee chairman, Mr Jason Rwekiza
decried what he described as lenient penalties for bribery offences as
compared to the loss that the vice subjects the nation. “There is an
urgent need to review the laws to introduce severe penalties against
corruption convicts, if possible, they can be condemned to death as
China does,” he said.
He advised the government to review
salaries for public servants, saying majority of them earn peanuts, and
become easily tempted to corrupt practices.
Ukonga legislator Mwita Watara on
Chadema ticket said people have been accusing the police of corruption
and at the same time the same law enforcers are expected to arrest and
prosecute corruption cases.
Member of Parliament for Welezo (CCM)
Saada Mkuya Salum faulted the corruption report over its failure to
highlight sexual corruption. She described sexual corruption as a
serious barrier against qualified individuals in their pursuit for jobs,
asking the government to take appropriate actions to address the
problem.
0 comments:
Post a Comment