Two MPs arrested in major corruption crackdown

VALENTINE MARC NKWAME

Arusha

THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) has arrested and detained for questioning two Members of Parliament from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi in Arusha Region, in a major bust on 11 senior party officials and cadres alleged to have dabbled in corruption in the ongoing CCM regional elections.

The PCCB regional commander for Arusha, Ally Mfuru, confirmed to THISDAY that the MPs - Michael Lekule Laizer (Longido-CCM) and Elisa David Mollel (Arumeru West - CCM) - were arrested on Tuesday night and have been held in custody since then for interrogation purposes. This is the latest incident in a major crackdown on corruption within the ruling party’s ranks ordered by President Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the CCM national chairman.

The two CCM legislators were arrested by PCCB officials at the Rotterdam Highway restaurant in Usa River, some 22 kilometres out of Arusha Municipality, allegedly for trying to buy voters in the ruling party regional leadership polls.

Laizer is vying for the post of CCM chairman for Arusha Region, while Mollel is contesting the post of regional chairman of the ruling party’s parents wing WAZAZI.

According to the PCCB, also arrested in the swoop was Arusha regional CCM youth wing chairman Daniel Ole Polokwa, alongside two other prominent CCM cadres in the region, John Ndelilio Pallangyo and Daniel Losioyo.

Others were identified as the Maroroni Village chairman and member of the CCM district executive council, Abraham Zelote Kaaya; Longido Ward chairman Emmanuel Luca Laizer; and Nkoaranga Ward executive officer and member of the CCM regional and national congress, Ndewirwa Soori Mbise.

Also on the list of shame are the Usa River Ward secretary and member of the CCM district and regional congress, Charles Akyoo; the CCM publicity secretary and member of the district and regional congress, Abubakar Abdalla Shekalage; and a driver, Abdi Mushi.

’’At the moment we are questioning all these CCM officials for their suspected involvement in corruption practices,’’ said the PCCB regional commander in a media statement issued here early yesterday.

Mfuru revealed that Ole Polokwa, the regional youth wing chairman, was found with a total of 436,500/- in cash believed to have been meant to bribe voters from within the party membership.

’’We are still questioning them all and appropriate measures will be taken against any of them who is eventually linked with the graft practices,’’ he said in the statement.

The PCCB regional chief urged members of the public to furnish the corruption watchdog body with information regarding corruption in any form, whenever they come across it.

The corruption allegations against the ’dirty eleven’ in Arusha Region is also the latest in a series of scandals that continue to rock the ongoing CCM regional leadership elections being held countrywide.

Similar foul play was recently reported from the designated capital Dodoma, also in the throes of regional CCM leadership polls.

President Kikwete has already publicly warned officials and members of the ruling party that corruption in the regional elections will not be tolerated, issuing an express order to the PCCB to pounce on bribe-givers and takers without exceptions.

NB: The PCCBs link by Omari Guy Agallo Chichi: omyguyagallochichi@yahoo.co.uk