Tanzania’s prime minister has tendered his resignation after being implicated in an energy deal corruption scandal.
“Because I have been linked to this scandal, I have decided to write to the president asking to be relieved of my duties,” Edward Lowassa told MPs. He has denied that his office was involved in improperly awarding a contract to US-based electricity company Richmond Development in 2006.The firm failed to provide emergency power during a power crisis in 2006.The BBC’s Vicky Ntetema in Dar es Salaam says a drought early in 2006 had left water levels in dams low leading to severe power cuts.Richmond was contracted to bring in generators to provide 100 megawatts of electricity each day.But a parliamentary inquiry, launched in November, found that the generators failed to arrive on time and when they did, they did not work as required.By the time the company was ready to start operations, Tanzania’s power problems had been resolved.Despite these failings, the government was contracted to pay Richmond more than $100 000 a day.Mr Lowassa’s office later influenced the government’s decision to extend Richmond’s contract despite advice to the contrary from the state-run energy company Tanesco, the inquiry alleges.Richmond “lacked experience, expertise and was financially incapacitated”, ruling party MP Harrison Mwakyembe, who headed the investigation, is quoted by Tanzania’s Guardian newspaper as telling parliament on Wednesday.Richmond transferred its tender to another company, Dowans, last year.The prime minister, who has denied any links to the scandal, has suggested the committee was given the wrong information.”I’ve thought long and hard about this issue.I’ve offered my resignation without any ill motive,” he said in an emotional speech to parliament.”I’ve done it to as a sign of my responsibility and to register my disagreement with the manner in which the committee misled parliament.”The BBC’s correspondent says Mr Lowassa, who entered politics in the 1980s, is a very close ally of President Jakaya Kikwete who came to power in 2005.Under President Ali Mwinyi, he was relieved of his duties as a land minister because of allegations of corruption.The BBC’s Africa editor Mary Harper says the offer of resignation from such a senior member of government for alleged links with corruption is unprecedented in Tanzania, and unusual in Africa.But Tanzania has been getting more serious about corruption since President Kikwete was elected.Just last month, the governor of the central bank was sacked following the disappearance of public funds from the bank.BBC NewsHe has denied that his office was involved in improperly awarding a contract to US-based electricity company Richmond Development in 2006.The firm failed to provide emergency power during a power crisis in 2006.The BBC’s Vicky Ntetema in Dar es Salaam says a drought early in 2006 had left water levels in dams low leading to severe power cuts.Richmond was contracted to bring in generators to provide 100 megawatts of electricity each day.But a parliamentary inquiry, launched in November, found that the generators failed to arrive on time and when they did, they did not work as required.By the time the company was ready to start operations, Tanzania’s power problems had been resolved.Despite these failings, the government was contracted to pay Richmond more than $100 000 a day.Mr Lowassa’s office later influenced the government’s decision to extend Richmond’s contract despite advice to the contrary from the state-run energy company Tanesco, the inquiry alleges.Richmond “lacked experience, expertise and was financially incapacitated”, ruling party MP Harrison Mwakyembe, who headed the investigation, is quoted by Tanzania’s Guardian newspaper as telling parliament on Wednesday.Richmond transferred its tender to another company, Dowans, last year.The prime minister, who has denied any links to the scandal, has suggested the committee was given the wrong information.”I’ve thought long and hard about this issue.I’ve offered my resignation without any ill motive,” he said in an emotional speech to parliament.”I’ve done it to as a sign of my responsibility and to register my disagreement with the manner in which the committee misled parliament.”The BBC’s correspondent says Mr Lowassa, who entered politics in the 1980s, is a very close ally of President Jakaya Kikwete who came to power in 2005.Under President Ali Mwinyi, he was relieved of his duties as a land minister because of allegations of corruption.The BBC’s Africa editor Mary Harper says the offer of resignation from such a senior member of government for alleged links with corruption is unprecedented in Tanzania, and unusual in Africa.But Tanzania has been getting more serious about corruption since President Kikwete was elected.Just last month, the governor of the central bank was sacked following the disappearance of public funds from the bank.BBC News
