Deodat
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 18, 2008
- 1,274
- 274
The National Assembly has thrown weight behind its committee over the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) officials' saga, saying the constitutional law surpasses all binding laws of any contract.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian on Sunday Deputy Speaker, Job Ndugai said the committee did not err in summoning the TPDC officials.
"But the committee cannot arrest them (TPDC official) before getting a ago ahead from the office of the speaker," he clarified.
Deputy Speaker Ndugai also decried what he described as; "the unfortunate fact that such matters are not well stipulated in the proposed new Constitution."
"This will cause more confusion in the future," he warned.
He said while there are those who argue that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) went beyond its mandate demanding TPDC official unveil the details of oil and gas contracts, the Ndugai said the committee acted within its mandate.
"It is wrong to say that the committee acted out of its jurisdiction as some people purport…the law allows the call they made but limits it to authorisation from the speaker," he said.
Acknowledging that there are clauses in the contracts that demand for secrecy, the Deputy Speaker said it is only prudent for the concerned parties to know that, "the law which the parliament works within is above any contractual agreements."
He said parliament still has different avenues to resolve the matter including discussions with the government on the way forward.
On his part, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Zitto Kabwe maintained that his team was just and correct in ordering the arrest of the TPDC officials.
He told The Guardian on Sunday at the parliament grounds yesterday that even though it was surprising that TPDC officials were later released without any charges on orders of the leadership of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, PAC had still sent a strong message to other government officials, ‘they can be called to account.'
More than sending a message however, the Kigoma North MP said the matter is not over. Kabwe revealed that his committee has written to the House Speaker, Anne Makinda over the matter and expect action from the House.
Kabwe reiterated that TPDC must produce in Parliament the oil and gas contracts it entered with investors.
"Parliament must play its role and this we will do for national interest," he insisted.
On Monday, Police freed TPDC Board Chairman Michael Mwanda and the Acting Director General James Andilile over the government agency's failure to submit at least 26 oil and gas production-sharing agreements (PSAs) with investors.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone commander Suleiman Kova said police set the two free because apparently, ‘the law was not followed in their arrest,' the commander alleged.
SOURCE:GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian on Sunday Deputy Speaker, Job Ndugai said the committee did not err in summoning the TPDC officials.
"But the committee cannot arrest them (TPDC official) before getting a ago ahead from the office of the speaker," he clarified.
Deputy Speaker Ndugai also decried what he described as; "the unfortunate fact that such matters are not well stipulated in the proposed new Constitution."
"This will cause more confusion in the future," he warned.
He said while there are those who argue that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) went beyond its mandate demanding TPDC official unveil the details of oil and gas contracts, the Ndugai said the committee acted within its mandate.
"It is wrong to say that the committee acted out of its jurisdiction as some people purport…the law allows the call they made but limits it to authorisation from the speaker," he said.
Acknowledging that there are clauses in the contracts that demand for secrecy, the Deputy Speaker said it is only prudent for the concerned parties to know that, "the law which the parliament works within is above any contractual agreements."
He said parliament still has different avenues to resolve the matter including discussions with the government on the way forward.
On his part, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Zitto Kabwe maintained that his team was just and correct in ordering the arrest of the TPDC officials.
He told The Guardian on Sunday at the parliament grounds yesterday that even though it was surprising that TPDC officials were later released without any charges on orders of the leadership of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, PAC had still sent a strong message to other government officials, ‘they can be called to account.'
More than sending a message however, the Kigoma North MP said the matter is not over. Kabwe revealed that his committee has written to the House Speaker, Anne Makinda over the matter and expect action from the House.
Kabwe reiterated that TPDC must produce in Parliament the oil and gas contracts it entered with investors.
"Parliament must play its role and this we will do for national interest," he insisted.
On Monday, Police freed TPDC Board Chairman Michael Mwanda and the Acting Director General James Andilile over the government agency's failure to submit at least 26 oil and gas production-sharing agreements (PSAs) with investors.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone commander Suleiman Kova said police set the two free because apparently, ‘the law was not followed in their arrest,' the commander alleged.
SOURCE:GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
