Tanzania’s PM Kassim Majaliwa: suspends ports officials

Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has suspended two senior officials with the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).

He also ordered thorough auditing of five ports over what he described as misuse of public funds.

A statement by the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday said Majaliwa suspended TPA’s director of finance, Nuru Mhando and TPA’s finance manager, Witness Mahela.

It said the suspension will pave way for the auditing of the ports by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG).

The statement said Majaliwa ordered the CAG to audit the five ports of Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mwanza, Mtwara and Kyela.

The order came after the CAG submitted to him a report on special auditing of Kigoma port for 2017/2018 and 2018/2019.

The report revealed huge mishandling of public funds.

The premier ordered the auditing of the financial management of the five ports during a meeting in Dar es Salaam with the Minister for Works and Transport and the TPA management board.

The director general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau and the Director of Criminal Investigation also attended the meeting.

Majaliwa said the government received only 70 percent of revenue collected by TPA and the other 30 percent was pocketed by individuals, including some of the TPA staff.