Fight against grand corruption: A losing battle?

LEFT TO RIGHT: The Minister of State in the President`s Office
responsible for Good Governance, Philip Marmo;
the outgoing US ambassador to Tanzania, Michael Retzer;
and the PCCB director-general, Edward Hosea.
_____________________________

-New report questions government resolve, commitment

THISDAY REPORTER, Friday 31st August 2007
Dar es Salaam

A RESPECTED international economic and business think-tank has raised serious concerns about Tanzania’s commitment and willingness to fight and remove high-level internal corruption despite recently passing new anti-graft legislation ostensibly aimed at strengthening this stated resolve.

Both the government as an institution and the state-run Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) were singled out for separate scything criticism over what is widely considered a disappointing performance so far in cracking down on grand corruption.

’’There are concerns about the government’s commitment to fighting corruption,’’ says the globally- esteemed, London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in its latest country report for Tanzania released this month.

The EIU report continues: ’’Although measures such as the passing of the Prevention of Corruption Act give the impression that the government is taking action on this issue - an image that the president is keen to cultivate - there are doubts about the effectiveness of the legislation and the government’s true willingness to address high-level corruption.’’

And this view was echoed in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening by the outgoing US ambassador to Tanzania, Michael Retzer, who once again publicly expressed his reservations at the little progress made in curbing grand corruption in the country.

In farewell remarks to the local media, Retzer noted that ’’the PCCB and the public prosecutor (director of public prosecutions DPP) have so far caught a few small fish - but I would suggest to you that there are more than a few large fish, perhaps even sharks in this pond of corruption.’’

’’I would encourage the president to renew the vigour that he demonstrated as he began his term as president to tackle this corruption,’’ the outgoing envoy added, while also once again calling for the PCCB to be given full autonomy to go about its business.

Said Retzer: ’’I think the concept of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau is a good one, but only if it is a truly independent agency able to investigate corruption wherever it finds it.’’

Various critics have especially alluded to the apparent failure of the PCCB to investigate and prosecute influential people in government, both past and present, implicated in various serious allegations of corruption.

According to Retzer, the Tanzanian print media has been ’’doing an excellent job of investigating corruption.’’

He said in the US, freedom of the press protected by the country’s constitution had helped keep the government honest. ’’Certainly my country has investigated governors, senators and congressmen. Many have resigned and some have gone to jail,’’ he said, suggesting that Tanzania could take a cue from the US.

Stating that it was time for the ’’sharks of corruption to be caught and brought flopping to the scales of justice’’, the outgoing US ambassador also urged the government to avoid the use of brokers or agents when making large procurements.

He made particular references to the media allegations regarding companies like Richmond Development and BAE (the radar manufacturer), asserting that: ’’When you are purchasing an oil pipeline, an airplane or $150m worth of power generation equipment, you do not need a broker or an agent or a company that merely acts as middleman. It is an invitation to corruption.’’

Retzer reiterated that every legitimate business, be it General Electric, Pratt Whitney, Boeing, or any other major international manufacturer, would be happy to talk with the government directly without having to use middlemen.

He said he also supported concerns raised by those in the local private sector, that ’’there are risks attached when any political party particularly the ruling party owns businesses that do business with the government or need a government licence or concession.’’

’’This is a universal truth,’’ noted Retzer, who himself once served as treasurer of the Republican Party in the US.

He said the hint of a back-door deal or special arrangement with a company owned by a major political party, much less the ruling party, could ultimately hurt not only the party but also the business climate that the party and its leadership may be trying to strengthen.

Retzer’s latest remarks alongside the EIU report come against a background of a recent declaration by PCCB director general Edward Hosea, to the effect that the government’s anti-graft watchdog will not investigate allegations against former president Benjamin Mkapa and his cabinet minister Daniel Yona because doing so would go against public statements made by President Kikwete.

Hosea made the declaration during a talk show on national radio and TV, in response to call-in questions from viewers and listeners who wanted clarification on whether or not the PCCB intended to investigate allegations of dubious dealings by Mr Mkapa and Yona in the privatisation of the Kiwira Coal Mine in 2005.

Lawyers and human rights activists have since blasted the PCCB boss for failing to launch an official probe into the detailed allegations of wrongdoing by the ex-president and minister in the Kiwira mine issue.

Founded in 1946, the Economist Intelligence Unit is widely regarded as the world leader in global business intelligence, and the most trusted and valuable resource for international companies, financial institutions, universities and government agencies.

Full speech by outgoing US Ambassador to Tanzania:

http://tanzania.usembassy.gov/sp_29082007.html