President Samia Warning Over Corruption And Dissolves Tanzania Ports Authority Board

LOCAL NEWS:

President Samia Suluhu Hassan  has on Saturday fired a warning shot over corruption, saying a clique within government was out to taint her administration with ills from the past.

A visibly annoyed President said the clique was perpetrating claims of a resurgence of corruption under her leadership for ulterior motives.

“There is a certain clique in the government who know exactly what they are doing. The same group then turns around and start saying that corruption is back in the sixth phase government…that things are not well,” said President Samia at the Dar es Salaam Port

President Samia did not name the said clique but pointed out that some of the alleged ills now being blamed on her administration were committed during the past government.

“I will not carry the blame for the past rot,” declared the President who shortly thereafter dismissed the board chairmen of TPA and the Shipping agency over unsatisfactory performance.

The head of state who assumed power over nine months now following the death of President John Magufuli, said she will remain true to her oath to uphold justice and protect the public.

“These things did not happened during the sixth phase but the blame is now being apportioned to my administration, I will not accept! I swore to defend the rights of the citizens and I will stand by that.”

The fired board chairmen were appointed in 2019 by her predecessor as the government looked to bolster revenue collection by reforming the port systems which President Samia lamented continue to leak substantial income for the state.

The president’s warning ignited widespread reaction on social media as some political leaders urged her to crack the whip and shout louder over those undermining the government from within.

Her remarks and the reactions were not entirely surprising and pointed to the disquiet within corridors of power as the President seeks to consolidate her grip on power.

President Samia has dropped from government individuals who were close to the centre of power during Magufuli reign and is chatting her own path with some key policy and administrative changes away from her predecessor.