Sakata la Kashfa ya Richmond: The Facts

Sakata la Kashfa ya Richmond: The Facts

Richmond yachemka

na Irene Mark
Tanzania Daima

SASA ni dhahiri kuwa, kazi ya Kamati ya Bunge ya Kuchunguza mkataba wa kuzalisha umeme wa dharura kati ya Shirika la Umeme Tanzania (Tanesco) na Kampuni ya Richmond Development Corporation (RDC) ni nzito na inayotiwa vidole ili kuharibu matokeo.
Katika kukabiliana na hali hiyo, kamati hiyo ya Bunge sasa imeamua kuchukua hatua kadhaa ili kuhakikisha ripoti litakayoitoa inakidhi matarajio ya wananchi na kulinda maslahi ya taifa.

Miongoni mwa hatua ambazo zimechukuliwa na kamati hiyo sasa ni kumuomba Spika wa Bunge, Samuel Sitta kuiongezea muda wa kazi uliokuwa ukimalizika leo, ombi ambalo kwa mujibu wa Mwenyekiti wa kamati hiyo, Dk. Harrison Mwakyembe limesharidhiwa na Spika.

Mbali ya hatua hiyo, kamati hiyo ambayo sasa itafanya kazi kwa wiki mbili zaidi hadi Desemba 31, imelazimika kuwaita tena kwa mahojiano ya chini ya kiapo, baadhi ya mashahidi ikiwa ni pamoja na kuwatuma wajumbe wake kadhaa nchini Marekani yaliko makao makuu ya Richmond ili kukusanya taarifa.

Uamuzi huo unakuja siku moja tu baada ya gazeti hili kuripoti kuhusu kuwapo kwa wasiwasi wa baadhi ya mashahidi kutoa ushahidi wa uongo mbele ya Kamati teule ya Bunge, baada ya kupata mafunzo mahususi ya awali (rehearsal), kutoka kwa maofisa wasiojulikana serikalini.

Hata hivyo, Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu, ambayo ilitajwa katika gazeti hili kuwa maofisa wake kadhaa walihusika kuwaandaa mashahidi kwa lengo lililoonekana kuwa ni kuharibu ushahidi, ilikana kufanya hivyo.

Taarifa ya maandishi ya Katibu Mkuu Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu, Vincent Mrisho iliyotolewa jana, pamoja na kukanusha habari ya jana ya gazeti hili, ilikiri kuhusika kwake katika kazi ya kile ilichokielezea kuwa ni kuratibu maofisa wote waliohusika na ambao wangehitajika kutoa ushahidi mbele ya kamati hiyo ya Bunge.

"Kama serikali ilivyoahidi kutoa ushirikiano wake, serikali, kwa kupitia Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu na Wizara ya Nishati na Madini, ilihusika katika kuratibu maofisa wote waliohusika katika mchakato mzima na kuhakikisha kuwa, wale wote wanaohusika na ambao watahitajika mbele ya kamati; kwanza hawasafiri nje ya nchi ili kuhakikisha uwepo wao iwapo watahitajika mbele ya kamati. Pili, kwa kuwa kazi hii ilifanyika miaka miwili iliyopita, wahakikishe kuwa nyaraka zote muhimu kuhusiana na suala hili zinapatikana ili ziweze kutumiwa na kamati endapo zitahitajika ," ilisema taarifa hiyo ya Mrisho.

Mrisho alisema serikali inaamini kuwa maelekezo yaliyotolewa kwa maofisa hao yalifanyika si kwa nia ya kuharibu, bali kuhakikisha kuwa nyaraka zote muhimu kuhusu suala hili zinapatikana ili ziweze kutumiwa na kamati endapo zitahitajika.

Wakati Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu ikikanusha tuhuma hizo, taarifa ya maandishi ya kamati hiyo iliyosomwa mbele ya wanahabari na Mwenyekiti wake Dk. Mwakyembe jana ilikiri kuwapo kwa wasiwasi wa mashahidi kutoa taarifa za uongo.

Mwakyembe alisema hali ya shaka ambayo kamati imeipata kutoka kwa mashahidi hao ni moja ya mambo yaliyosababisha wafikie uamuzi wa kuomba muda wa ziada ili kuwahoji tena wale ambao wana wasiwasi nao.

Alisema wajumbe wa kamati yake wanahisi kuwepo kwa udanganyifu katika ushahidi waliokusanya, hali inayowalazimu kuwaita tena baadhi ya mashahidi na kuwahoji kwa lengo la kubaini ukweli.

"Kuhusu hili la mashahidi baada ya uchambuzi tumegundua kuwa, baadhi yao ushahidi wao wa mdomo ulitofautiana na ule wa maandishi.

"Hivyo basi, kwa kuwa Spika ameturuhusu kuongeza muda, kamati italazimika kuwaita tena baadhi ya mashahidi kuthibitisha kauli zao.

"Watakaothibitika kuipa kamati ushahidi wa uongo wakiwa chini ya kiapo kwa sababu wanazozijua wenyewe, kamati itawachukulia hatua za kisheria, chini ya Sheria ya Kinga, Haki na Maadili ya Bunge," alisema kwa ukali Dk. Mwakyembe.

Alisema kuwa sheria hiyo inatoa hadi adhabu ya kifungo na iwapo hilo litatokea, itakuwa ni funzo kwa maofisa wa serikali na mashirika ya umma waliotoa ushahidi wao kimzaha wakiamini watalindwa.

Pamoja na suala hilo, Dk. Mwakyembe alithibitisha jana kuwa, kamati hiyo imepeleka wajumbe wake wanne nchini Marekani katika miji ya Houston, Washington na Texas, ili kubaini ukweli kuhusu Kampuni ya Richmond.

Mwenyekiti huyo, aliwataja wajumbe hao kuwa ni Makamu wake, ambaye pia ni Mbunge wa Viti Maalum, Injinia Stella Manyanya na Mbunge wa Nzega, Lucas Selelii wote kutoka CCM.

Wengine ni Mbunge wa Mkanyageni, Mohamed Mnyaa (CUF) na Katibu wa kamati hiyo, Anselem Mrema. Timu hiyo iliondoka nchini Desemba 10 na wakiwa Marekani watakusanya taarifa mbalimbali za kampuni hiyo ili kupata ukweli na kujiridhisha kuhusu RDC.

Alisema sababu nyingine ya kwenda Marekani ni kubaini ukweli kuhusu uwezo wa kiutendaji wa kampuni hiyo, kama walivyoagizwa kwenye hadidu za rejea walizopewa na Bunge.

"Wajumbe wa kamati na katibu wapo Marekani tangu Desemba 10. Huko watakutana na maofisa wa ubalozi wetu… wataenda jijini Houston, Washington na Texas, kote huko ni kutaka kujiridhisha kwa sababu tunapokea taarifa muhimu kutoka maeneo tofauti," alisema mwenyekiti huyo na kuongeza kuwa wajumbe hao watarejea nchini kesho.

Alisema taarifa za wajumbe hao kutoka Marekani zitaingizwa kwenye rasimu ya taarifa itakayowasilishwa kwa Spika wa Bunge.

Hali hiyo inakuja wakati taifa likionekana dhahiri kupata hasara kutokana na mradi huo wa Richmond uliogharimu sh bilioni 172.9 kuchukua muda mrefu kukamilika kwake.

Aidha, kuundwa kwa kamati hiyo ni matokeo ya kazi iliyofanywa na Kamati ya Kudumu ya Bunge ya Uwekezaji na Biashara, iliyowasilisha taarifa yake ya mwaka 2006/07 iliyotaka kuchunguzwa kwa mkataba wa Richmond.

Awali, mkataba huo ulichunguzwa na Takuru (sasa Takukuru) ambayo katika taarifa yake ya Mei mwaka huu, ilitangaza kubaini kuwapo kwa uzembe huku ikitamka bayana kushindwa kuthibitisha tuhuma zozote za rushwa.

Taarifa ya Takuru iliibua maneno ndani na nje ya Bunge, hali iliyosababisha suala hilo kubakia moja ya ajenda zilizoonekana kuipotezea imani serikali na baadhi ya viongozi wake waliohusishwa katika mkataba huo.

Mbali ya wabunge na Spika Sitta, kuahidi kuwa suala hilo lingefanyiwa kazi, Kamati ya Uwekezaji na Biashara iliendelea kulifuatilia jambo hilo kabla na baada ya taarifa ya Takuru.

Baada ya vuta nikuvute ya miezi kadhaa, Novemba 13 mwaka huu, kamati hiyo inayoongozwa na Mbunge wa Bumbuli, William Shellukindo (CCM) iliwasilisha ripoti kuhusu utendaji kazi wa Tanesco, ikijumuisha suala la Richmond.

Pamoja na mambo mengine, kamati ya Shellukindo ilipendekeza kuundwa kwa kamati teule ya Bunge kuichunguza Richmond kutokana na kubaini kuwapo kwa maswali mengi magumu katika mkataba huo.

Takribani maswali yote yaliyobainishwa na Kamati ya Shellukindo, yalihusisha utata wa mazingira ya kufikiwa kwa mkataba huo tata kati ya Tanesco na Richmond.

Aidha, Kamati ya Shellukindo ilionyesha wazi wasiwasi wake kuhusu mchakato uliosababisha kutiwa saini kwa mkataba huo na mazingira yake yaliyohojiwa na Mamlaka ya Kudhibiti Manunuzi Serikalini (PPRA).

Suala jingine lililozua utata ni namna Richmond walivyouza mkataba huo wa kuzalisha umeme wa dharura kwa Kampuni ya Dowans, hatua ambayo hata hivyo ilizidisha mlolongo wa kushindwa kuzalisha umeme wa megawati 100.

Kutokana na kuchelewa huko, kamati hiyo ya Shellukindo ilitaka kuundwa kwa kamati ambayo ingechunguza iwapo Dowans waliokuwa wakipaswa kuilipa serikali dola 10,000 kila siku kwa kipindi walichoshindwa kuzalisha umeme walifanya kama mkataba unavyoelekeza.

Sakata hilo la Richmond lilikuja baada ya taifa kukumbwa na ukame mkali uliosababisha vyanzo vya umeme ambavyo ni maji kukauka kwa kipindi kirefu mwaka jana.

Kutokana na hali hiyo, serikali ilichukua hatua za haraka ili kuepusha nchi isikumbwe na janga la kukosa nishati ya umeme kwa kutafuta kampuni za kuzalisha umeme wa dharura.

Shirika la Umeme nchini (Tanesco) liliingia mikataba na wawekezaji binafsi wa nje kuleta mitambo ya kuzalisha umeme wa dharura kwa kutumia gesi asilia na dizeli.

Mbali na Richmond, kampuni nyingine iliyoitikia wito wa serikali kwa haraka ni Aggreko, ambayo ilianza uzalishaji wa umeme wa dharura bila kuchelewa, hivyo kusaidia mapema kuondoa kero na wasiwasi mkubwa uliozikumba sekta za viwanda, biashara na utoaji huduma nchini.






 
Negotiations begin for Dowans buyout :As TANESCO presents conditions for government to purchase the turbines outright

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

AS the parliamentary probe into the 172.9bn/- Richmond power generation deal continues, there are now indications that the groundwork is being quietly prepared for the government to buy all or part of the turbines now under the control of Dowans Holdings with expectations to generate 100 megawatts of electricity to the national power grid.

Well-placed sources in the energy sector have disclosed that the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has already presented to the government a set of conditions under which the state can make an outright purchase of the turbines located at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam.

But the sources also say the proposal to buy the turbines from Dowans Holdings is likely to generate a whole lot of new controversy within government circles.

Serious concern has already been raised about the specifications and suitability of some of the turbines, now being operated by the United Arab Emirates-registered company following a somewhat mysterious contract-inheritance deal with the US-based Richmond Development Company.

The government negotiation team had agreed that Richmond would import several units of power turbines with a total installed generating capacity of 105.6MW of electricity. These include a combine Pratt & Whitney unit of 22MW; six units of SGT300 with a total output of 39.6MW; and two Pratt FT8 turbines each with a 22MW capacity.

Since no performance bond was signed in the Richmond contract, it is now suspected that the US company actually brought in turbines of questionable specifications and quality. It is also understood that the government has all along been aiming to buy the turbines from contract inheritors Dowans Holdings once the controversial two-year lease agreement entered into last year has expired.

Government officials say Dowans Holdings now operates four turbines generating a total of 100MW of electricity from natural gas.

’’When Dowans took over the project from Richmond, it reached an understanding with the government that it would be prepared to sell its power plant to TANESCO when the contract period expires,’’ said one government source on condition of anonymity.

THISDAY last week sent written questions to TANESCO managing director Dr Idris Rashidi concerning the possible buyout of Dowans Holdings. However, as of yesterday there has been no response from the TANESCO boss.

On his part, when asked about the buyout negotiations, TANESCO board chairman Fulgence Kazaura said he knew nothing about such negotiations.

The Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals, William Ngeleja, declined to comment about the matter and threw the ball back into TANESCO’s court, saying: ’’Talk to them (TANESCO)...I don’t think it’s proper for the ministry to comment because it might appear we are interfering in TANESCO’s internal affairs.’’

The 2007 report of the state-run Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) confirms that there are proposals for the government to buy the Dowans/Richmond power plant after the expiry of the two-year lease agreement.

The ongoing Richmond deal probe has recently been hit by fresh allegations that key government officials were either coached or intimidated prior to giving testimony before the parliamentary committee. This has been compounded by assertions by committee chairman Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, that some witnesses summoned before the committee appeared to have lied outright or otherwise sought to give misleading statements.

With the Prime Minister’s Office singled out in particular by the allegations, the Minister of State in the PMO (parliamentary affairs), Dr Batilda Burian, hastened to deny that the PMO has meddled in any way with the work of the parliamentary committee.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Samuel Sitta, last week agreed to extend the deadline for the committee to conclude its work to December 31, instead of the original timeline of December 15.
 
Soo la Richmond: Vigogo wahaha

2007-12-18 15:09:58
Na Mwandishi Wetu, Jijini

Wakati ile Kamati Teule ya Bunge ya kuchunguza mkataba wa kuuziana umeme unaodaiwa kuwa wa utata baina ya Kampuni ya Richmond na Tanesco ikiendelea kukusanya vielelezo, baadhi ya vigogo wanaotajwa kuhusika na dili hilo wanadaiwa kuanza kuhaha huku na huko.

Kwa mujibu wa chanzo chetu kimoja toka Serikalini, ni kwamba miongoni mwa vigogo hao wanaodaiwa kutapatapa kwa kupigiana simu na watu mbalimbali, kutumiana `vimemo` kukutana kwenye vikao vya siri, ni pamoja na wale wanaotuhumiwa kutoa maelezo yanayojichanganya mbele ya Kamati hiyo ya Bunge inayoongozwa na Mbunge wa Kyela, Dk. Harrison Mwakyembe.

``Kwakweli mambo si mazuri... kadri siku zinavyokaribia, hawa wazee wamekuwa wakihangaika huku na huko ili kuhakikisha kuwa mambo yanakwenda sawa,`` kinasema chanzo chetu.

Kikifafanua zaidi, chanzo chetu hicho kinasema baadhi ya watu waliohojiwa na kamati na kisha kutoa maelezo nusu nusu ili kujilinda na kuwalinda wenzao, ndio wanaohaha zaidi.

``Hawaishi kupiga simu na kutuma vimeseji vya kuitana kwenye vikao vya siri... haya maneno anayotoa mwenyekiti wa Kamati (Dk. Mwakyembe) kwamba hakuna kulindana ndiyo yanayowachanganya zaidi.``

Hivi karibuni, Dk. Mwakyembe amekaririwa akisema kuwa Kamati yake imekumbana na tatizo la kujichanganya kwa maelezo ya baadhi ya watu waliowahoji, kwa kile ambacho kamati inaamini kuwa ni ukiukwaji wa taratibu.

Aidha, Dk. Mwakyembe akasema wazi kuwa kamati yake itawahoji tena na pindi ikigundua kuwa imedanganywa na wahusika kwa makusudi, kamwe haitaacha kuchukua hatua kali za kisheria.

Jana, Dk. Mwakyembe aliwaambia waandishi wa habari kuwa hivi sasa Kamati yake imesitisha baadhi ya shughuli zake kwa nia ya kuwasubiri wajumbe wenzao waliokwenda nchini Marekani ili kupata maelezo zaidi kuhusiana na sakata hilo linalodaiwa kuiingizia nchi hasara ya mamilioni ya pesa za walipa kodi.

``Tutatoa taarifa yetu kwa spika Desemba 31 mwaka huu... mambo yote yatajulikana katika taarifa hiyo,`` akasema Dk. Mwakyembe.

Kwa mtaji huo, kuanzia leo hii, zimebaki siku 12 pekee kabla wahusika wa kweli katika sakata hilo hawajaumbuka kwa kuanikwa kwenye ripoti hiyo itakayotua mezani kwa Spika wa Bunge la Jamhuri la Muungano wa Tanzania kabla hatua zaidi hazijachukuliwa. SOURCE: Alasiri
 
Ahaa... Twaingojea zawadi ya Mwaka Mpya bwana - Ripoti ya Richmondia & BOT....... Isijekuwa mambo ya "We Goofed Up"

Manake ndio Bongo tena hiyo....
 
Ni vema tusubiri Majibu ya Kamati. Maana yake haya yanaweza kuwa mazingaombwe ya "SIRIKALI" kama kawaida yao kuonyesha wapo makini na hawana mchezo, then atayeshtakiwa "MTUNZA~MAFAILI"
 
More beans spilled in Richmond/Dowans saga: Government to pay Richmond contract inheritor more than initially envisaged

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

THE government is to pay more than 100bn/- in energy charges alone to the company that inherited the 100-megawatts power generation contract from the US-registered Richmond Development Company during the two-year duration of the much-criticized agreement, THISDAY can reveal today.

Industry sources say Dowans Holdings S.A of the United Arab Emirates will receive around $87m (approx. 104.4bn/-) from the government in energy charges alone by the time the lease agreement expires.

So far, the government has already paid more than $30m (approx. 36bn/-) in energy charges to Dowans, being 35 per cent of the total $87m due to the company.

Dowans Holdings was unexpectedly and somewhat mysteriously brought into the picture in December last year to inherit Richmond?s highly controversial contract with the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO).

It has also been revealed that while the contract signed between TANESCO (on behalf of the government) and Richmond was for the generation of 100MW of electricity, Dowans is currently operating five gas-powered turbines with a total output of 112 megawatts.

The well-placed industry sources told THISDAY that the total $87m energy charge was agreed after recent tests and other assessments on the Dowans turbines network.

''After the plant (network) test was conducted, TANESCO experts realised that the five Dowans turbines had the capacity to produce a total of 112MW of electricity. This means the government is now obliged to pay a total of $87m in the two years of the lease agreement,'' said one government source.

At this rate, Dowans is still liable to be paid an additional $57m (68bn/-) in energy charges up until expiry of the existing contract.

The government source said the total value of the Dowans/Richmond power generation project is now pegged at $139m, from the original $175m estimated before the start of the project.

Official documents seen by THISDAY show that under the original Richmond contract, it was agreed that the government would pay Richmond/Dowans ''on monthly basis a lump sum based on the contract price of 0.0499 USD/kWh.''

According to the contract, the capacity price was set at $34.60565 per kilowatt per month.

Energy sector experts also criticise some terms of the agreement between TANESCO/government and Richmond/Dowans, saying the $10,000 daily penalty imposed for implementation delays was worked out in an unorthodox manner.

''In contracts of such magnitude, the standard rate of penalty fee is usually 2.5 per cent of the value of the project,'' said one source, adding: ''I don't know where they got this figure of $10,000 daily penalty for such a big contract.''

Officials of both TANESCO and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals were not immediately available to comment yesterday on these latest revelations.

There have been reports that a serious proposal is now in the wind for the government to purchase the whole power plant (turbines) outright from Richmond/Dowans once the lease contract expires.

Dowans, which began supplying around 100MW to the national power grid in October this year, is scheduled to go off-line in October next year.
 
Upumbavu mwingine bwana. Like said before, this can only happen here in Bongo.
 
Mie napata kizunguzungu hapa. Kuna wakati nilisikia Tanesco inawadai hawa Dowans. Mara tena Dowans ndio wanalipwa na Serikali!
Kuna mtu anaweza kunifafanulia nini kinaendelea? Naona kuna kitu sijaelewa hapa.
 
Jamani,

Nimejaribu kugugo (google) Dowans Holdings S.A na kila kitu ni kutoka magazeti ya Tanzania na JF. Jee hi ni kampuni gani ambayo tunaipa fedha nyingi kiasi hiki ambayo wala haifahamiki?

Who authorised the mkataba transfer from Richmond to Dowans? Maana nasikia hapakuwa na kipengele kuruhusu assignment and assumption of contract by other party!!

Sasa ni vipi Serikali ya Tanzania na Tanesco wameingia mkataba mpya kurithi mkataba mbovu?
 
Dar extends probe into $179m Richmond deal

By JOSEPH MWAMUNYANGE
THE EAST AFRICAN

A probe into the $179 million tender for power generation awarded to the Richmond Development Company Ltd has encountered inconsistencies, forcing the Parliamentary Committee conducting it to recall some of the people who were summoned previously.

This time around, the committee will require those who provided evidence to confirm the details provided in their depositions. Even some of the people whose evidence was seen to be accurate will be summoned to corroborate it.

The team has already sent some of its members to the United States to establish Richmond’s existence and competence to run a multibillion shilling project in Tanzania.

When Tanzania was facing an acute power shortage crisis last year following years of prolonged drought, Richmond was picked ahead of a long queue of international firms that applied for a tender to generate 100MW of thermal-fired electricity in the country.

In late 2006, Richmond withdrew from the contract, bringing in a United Arab Emirates-registered company called Dowans Holdings S.A to “inherit” the contract.

Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, chairman of the committee investigating the awarding of the tender, told The EastAfrican that the recall of the witnesses has been necessitated by the fact that some of them gave inconsistent evidence, adding that should the committee discover that any particular witness lied while under oath, it will take them to task under the Parliamentary Immunities, Power and Privileges Act, Section 296.

This will act as a warning to government and parastatals officials who are taking this exercise lightly, that we are serious and that we shall let the law takes its course against them,” he said.

During their visit to the US, committee members travelled to Washington DC to meet Tanzania embassy officials in order to establish the facts about the controversial company, which is said to be missing from registers in Houston, Texas, where the company is supposed to be based.

“You know it takes time to get them before the committee, because most of these are senior officials who travel a lot and at times we have had to wait for them to return from attending to other government business abroad. But come December 31, we shall hand in the report to the Speaker and I am sure people will be happy with the work done,” said Dr Mwakyembe.

The other committee members are Lucas Selelii (Nzega-CCM), Herbert Mntangi (Muheza-CCM), Ms Stella Manyanya (Special Seats-CCM) and Mohamed Mnyaa (Mkanyageni-CUF).

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Samuel Sitta, who ordered the probe mid last month, has already extended by two weeks the deadline for the committee to hand in its report. Already more than 60 officials have appeared before the committee.

The team has been tasked with evaluating the entire tendering process leading up to the controversial decision to eventually award the contract to Richmond.

Dr Mwakyembe said that the committee was also looking at other contracts apart from Richmond.

“You can’t just look at Richmond because this would be very narrow, hence the need to compare notes with other contracts entered into by the government.”

The firm, Richmond Development Company LLC, was said to be based in Houston, Texas, USA, but it was alleged to be missing from the list of registered companies in that state.

Last year, investigations suggested that the company had no existence in the US, but was most probably an offshore company.

The company came into the limelight after it failed to deliver on its promise to start supplying 100MW of power to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco).

An earlier investigation into the Richmond saga by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) gave the whole tendering process a clean bill of health.

However, the country’s procurement watchdog, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) three months later gave a report that contradicted what the corruption watchdog had said.

In its scathing report on Richmond, the PPRA made specific references to high-level government meddling in the whole negotiations process that eventually served up Richmond.

The PPRA further asserted that there was significant “political influence” and clear interference by “higher authorities” in the tendering process.

According to Dr Mwakyembe, the committee has already summoned officials from the PPRA. “Officials from PPRA were some of the first people we summoned, and they gave us very valuable information,” he said.

The PPRA also exonerated Tanesco from any wrongdoing, stating that the power utility was ordered to enter into the deal with Richmond even after it had conclusively established that Richmond was “non-responsive to the bid requirements and unable to deliver in the tendering process.”

It was further stated in the PPRA report that Tanesco lawyers were kept in the dark over the whole tendering process, “with key provisions protecting the power utility firm having been left out.”

The committee will investigate the widely criticised mining contracts and the $179 million botched deal with Richmond to supply 100MW of electricity to the government.

Mr Sitta last week also formed a parliamentary select committee to probe the appointment of Richmond Development Corporation to supply emergency electric generators last year. The decision was made after the standing committee on Investment and Trade demanded the formation of a parliamentary select committee to probe the appointment of Richmond as suppliers of emergency electric generators.

Committee chairman William Shellukindo told parliament that they were dissatisfied and even angered by Richmond’s incompetence.

Richmond failed to complete an emergency electric supply project at a time when the country faced a severe power shortage, raising questions over what really transpired at the awarding of the tender.
 
Ni mategemeo yangu ripoti hii haitawekewa mizengwe kama ile ya BOT ambayo bado inafanyiwa 'mchakato' na CAG kwa zaidi ya wiki nane sasa.

Richmond inquiry reaches climax: National Assembly Speaker to receive report today

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

THE parliamentary committee investigating the 172.9bn/- Richmond power generation deal has officially concluded its work and is scheduled to submit its much-awaited report to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Samuel Sitta, in Dar es Salaam today.

''The committee members are now putting the final touches to their report before submitting it to the Speaker tomorrow as scheduled,'' a reliable government source confirmed to THISDAY yesterday.

The source added: ''I can't go into all the details right now, but the report is likely to be quite bulky because it is expected to incorporate relevant attachments of all reference documents, proceedings and other reports and recommendations.''

According to other sources, there is every expectation that the report findings will shed new light on how and why a government negotiation team came to award the very important contract for emergency power supply to the nation to an evidently inept firm such as the US-based Richmond Development Company last year.

It is anticipated that the probe's findings will highlight a good number of irregularities in the tender process that eventually led to the awarding of the contract to a company that had already been disqualified by the Tanzania Electrical Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) as being incompetent.

The probe team, chaired by Kyela Member of Parliament Dr Harrison Mwakyembe (CCM), announced during the course of its work that some witnesses summoned to testify before the committee appeared to have lied outright or otherwise sought to mislead the investigation in their statements.

There have also been allegations that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) may have even 'coached' or 'intimidated' key government officials before they gave testimony to the parliamentary committee.

The Minister of State in the PMO responsible for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Batilda Burian, has formally denied the accusations of witness coaching or intimidation.

Prime minister Edward Lowassa, in his role as overseer of government efforts to deal with a crippling national power shortage problem following prolonged drought in 2005/06, is understood to have appointed the three-man government task force that was involved in the tender process and negotiations leading up to the selection of Richmond.
The task force was led by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Gray Mgonja, and also included the then permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Patrick Rutabanzibwa, and Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika.

It has been confirmed that Mgonja is one of the more than 30 people, including other high-ranking government officials, who were summoned by the parliamentary committee to give testimony in the inquiry. There were also unconfirmed reports that the premier himself, or close aides, were also in line to appear before the committee.

Initially scheduled to conclude its work on December 15, the committee was given a two-week extension until yesterday to wrap up business and finalize its report.

Apart from Mwakyembe, other members of the committee were vice-chairperson Stella Manyanya (Special Seats-CCM), Lucas Selelii (Nzega-CCM), Herbert Mntangi (Muheza-CCM) and Mohamed Mnyaa (Mkanyageni-CUF).

The parliamentary inquiry into the Richmond deal followed dissatisfaction voiced by many legislators over the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB)�s declaration last May - after conducting its own investigation - that the deal was ''clean.''

The PCCB report was somewhat discredited just three months later (August this year) when the state-run Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) issued its own findings to the effect that there had been ''political influence'' and ''clear interference'' by ''higher authorities'' in government in the Richmond tendering process.

The PPRA report asserted that TANESCO was ''ordered'' to enter into the 100 megawatts power generation deal with Richmond even after the power utility firm itself had conclusively established that Richmond was ''non-responsive to the bid requirements and unable to deliver the services required.''

The report further stated that the Richmond contract was signed ''at night, under strange circumstances''; that TANESCO's lawyers were apparently in the dark over who drafted the agreement; and that key provisions protecting the public utility company were deliberately left out.

Apart from reviewing both the PCCB and PPRA reports as part of the inquiry, some committee members also travelled to the United States for an on-the-spot assessment of the Richmond company's portfolio.


 
I have no confidence in Sitta at all, utaona somersault za kisiasa hapo.
 
Yeah i am expecting to see only part of it released, the useless part which will not help in addressing to problem and punishing those responsible.
 
Sitta jinsi anavyofanya kazi zake tangu ae spika sina imani naye kabisa na sitegemei chochote hapo,sitashangaa tukiishia kuambiwa ile ni report ya bunge na ni kinyume na kanunu za bunge haziruhusu kujadiliwa au kuonwa na mtu ambaye si mbunge na tunaomba wananchi wawe na subira ili wabunge waweze kuipitia na kuifanyia kazi...just shit tuu!
 
Wajameni Huyo Ndugu Yetu Anajua Akiharibu Ccm Hana Pa Kwenda Si Yeye Anapenda Ila Hali Ya Maisha Inambana Na Kwetu Tunafikia Tamati Ya Kutokuwa Na Imani Nae...na Kuchaguliwa Mwenzake Kuongoza Ccm,,inabidi Alinde P Yake Labda Akitoka Huyu Msekwwa Wanaweza Kumfikiria Maskini,,,anyway Sita U Hav To B Strong:
 
Spika kapokea ripoti leo hii na kaahidi kuipeleka kwenye kamati ya Bunge. Ni matarajio kuwa Ripoti itawasilishwa kwenye kikao cha Bunge kitachoanza Jan 29,2008.
 
JK!You can not fight POVERTY IF YOU ARE FIGHTING CORRUPTION.

mnanischekesah jamani eti hamna imani na speaker sitta ambaye yeye anajiona ni speaker wa speed and standard mpo hapo!

Kweli uongozi wa nchi umebakwa!
 
JK!You can not fight POVERTY IF YOU ARE NOT FIGHTING CORRUPTION.

mnanischekesah jamani eti hamna imani na speaker sitta ambaye yeye anajiona ni speaker wa speed and standard mpo hapo!

Kweli uongozi wa nchi umebakwa!
 
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