Tanzania asked to have moral institutions
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA - Lack of political leadership and failure of moral institution to perform their duties efficiently in the country has led to more Tanzanians to be involved in corrupt practices.
This was said by a renowned media columnist and anti-corruption advocate, Mr. Jenerali Ulimwengu in Dar es Salaam last week while presenting a paper on, "Moral Decay in the Society, Tanzania as a case study"
Ulimwengu said that there was need for Tanzanians to stop turning their mindset into competition of acquiring wealth through dubious means in order for them to gain respect in the society, saying there were people in our societies who are poor but still possess authority and respect in their societies.
"We have had that bad perception amongst our societies of saying one needs to acquire a lot of wealth in order to gain respect in the society and this is a very wrong perception" Ulimwengu said.
He said that the citizen needs to establish a spirit of hard work as a way of acquiring wealth, while saving their money in order to have investments that will be used for future generations and this will in turn lead to development in the country.
He noted that if all Tanzanians were paying taxes as per their requirements, the country would be very far economically and “We are failing to move fast in economic development because there was lax with the Tanzania revenue Authority in tax collection.”
“There are a lot of Tanzanians who work oversees and or they win oversees tenders whenever they come back with the money. But they are never asked by TRA authorities about whether they have paid taxes because TRA knows that they too will be asked whether they are paying taxes accordingly," Ulimwengu said.
He pointed out that there were a lot corrupt practices that have engulfed the TRA and this makes them not to be responsible enough with their duties while at the same time the government was failing to use the resources it has to bring about development to the society.
He argued that while Kenya was more corrupt (using the term ‘mafisadi’), its people were not as corrupt as Tanzanians because, according to him, Tanzania’s corruption is being exercised by many people as compared to Kenya whose corruption was being exercised by few people.
Tanzania has in recent years been involved in the BOT twin towers scandal that involved the misappropriation of funds, embezzlement by Mr. Amatus Liyumba the farmers director of administration and human resources at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), the electricity Richmond scandal deal that led to the country losing Tsh.179bn on charges, the EPA scandals that involved 20 suspects in the Tsh133bn plus embezzlement of EPA accounts through the Bank of Tanzania.
According to Ulimwengu, other corruption scandals include the radar deal purchase from BAE system of the United Kingdom that led to the loss of more than Tsh.26bn and the money was later returned by the UK government but questions remain on the whereabouts of the said cash and also the sale of government house at a throw price to government officials.
He said it was important to note that the country is experiencing the worst extent of corruption and if these practices are not halted and or controlled the country could turn into chaos.
According to Prof Omari of the Open University of Tanzania, there are many Tanzanians who have acquired wealth through corrupt means and built themselves expensive homes in a country where the mortgage system is at a stand still.
According to Ulimwengu, there is a need for the country to have the independence of the three pillars of the state so that they can be able to hold each other accountable, in order to move the country forward.
This was said by a renowned media columnist and anti-corruption advocate, Mr. Jenerali Ulimwengu in Dar es Salaam last week while presenting a paper on, "Moral Decay in the Society, Tanzania as a case study"
Ulimwengu said that there was need for Tanzanians to stop turning their mindset into competition of acquiring wealth through dubious means in order for them to gain respect in the society, saying there were people in our societies who are poor but still possess authority and respect in their societies.
"We have had that bad perception amongst our societies of saying one needs to acquire a lot of wealth in order to gain respect in the society and this is a very wrong perception" Ulimwengu said.
He said that the citizen needs to establish a spirit of hard work as a way of acquiring wealth, while saving their money in order to have investments that will be used for future generations and this will in turn lead to development in the country.
He noted that if all Tanzanians were paying taxes as per their requirements, the country would be very far economically and “We are failing to move fast in economic development because there was lax with the Tanzania revenue Authority in tax collection.”
“There are a lot of Tanzanians who work oversees and or they win oversees tenders whenever they come back with the money. But they are never asked by TRA authorities about whether they have paid taxes because TRA knows that they too will be asked whether they are paying taxes accordingly," Ulimwengu said.
He pointed out that there were a lot corrupt practices that have engulfed the TRA and this makes them not to be responsible enough with their duties while at the same time the government was failing to use the resources it has to bring about development to the society.
He argued that while Kenya was more corrupt (using the term ‘mafisadi’), its people were not as corrupt as Tanzanians because, according to him, Tanzania’s corruption is being exercised by many people as compared to Kenya whose corruption was being exercised by few people.
Tanzania has in recent years been involved in the BOT twin towers scandal that involved the misappropriation of funds, embezzlement by Mr. Amatus Liyumba the farmers director of administration and human resources at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), the electricity Richmond scandal deal that led to the country losing Tsh.179bn on charges, the EPA scandals that involved 20 suspects in the Tsh133bn plus embezzlement of EPA accounts through the Bank of Tanzania.
According to Ulimwengu, other corruption scandals include the radar deal purchase from BAE system of the United Kingdom that led to the loss of more than Tsh.26bn and the money was later returned by the UK government but questions remain on the whereabouts of the said cash and also the sale of government house at a throw price to government officials.
He said it was important to note that the country is experiencing the worst extent of corruption and if these practices are not halted and or controlled the country could turn into chaos.
According to Prof Omari of the Open University of Tanzania, there are many Tanzanians who have acquired wealth through corrupt means and built themselves expensive homes in a country where the mortgage system is at a stand still.
According to Ulimwengu, there is a need for the country to have the independence of the three pillars of the state so that they can be able to hold each other accountable, in order to move the country forward.
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