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Mbowe wants broad-based mining pact review probe
2007-11-26 10:02:35
By Gadiosa Lamtey
Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) has advised President Jakaya Kikwete to reconstitute the mining contract review committee, making it more representative.
According to the opposition party`s national chairman, Freeman Mbowe, the committee has an onerous national responsibility that touches on a sensitive matter and would benefit from the direct input of representatives of academia as well as civil society and faith-based organisations.
He made the remarks at a press briefing in Dar es Salaam yesterday, an occasion he used to discuss the highlights of the party`s just-ended central committee meeting.
`The President had promised to form a committee representing key stakeholders and non-governmental organisations, religious bodies and academia. However, what we are seeing in the present probe committee is not what we expected,` noted Mbowe.
He said the committee was not representative enough and ought to have included more people `from a wider spectrum of the different segments of our society`.
`The 12-strong committee the President has appointed is composed of too many politicians It would greatly benefit from the input more people who are neutral, people who can give recommendations really serving the interests of our nation,` he added, without being more specific.
Mbowe argued that merely pick one or two members from opposition parties could not make the committee independent or effective enough.
He said that, ordinarily, anyone linked to allegations of fraud or the possibility of being caught in a conflict of interest was automatically disqualified from serving on the committee.
The Chadema chairman underlined the need for the committee, appointed by President Kikwete on November 13, to meet the people`s expectations and release the report on schedule to avoid suspicion from members of the public.
`I still insist that transparency and openness should be accorded topmost priority on this because the issue is very serious and delicate,` he said.
Those named to the committee, to be chaired by Judge (retired) Mark Bomani, included legislators John Cheyo (Bariadi East - United Democratic Party), Harrison Mwakyembe (Kyela – CCM), Ezekiel Maige (Msalala – CCM) and Zitto Kabwe (Kigoma North – Chadema).
Others were Peter Machunde from the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, David Tarimo from PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Maria Kejo from the Justice and Constitutional Affairs ministry, and industrialist and former minister Idd Simba.
Also on the committee are Energy and Minerals ministry lawyer Salome Makange, Mugisha Kamugisha from the Finance ministry, and Edward Kihundwa from the Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development ministry.
The committee is expected to review mining contracts and any other documents related to commercial mining as well as evaluate and sort out the taxation system applicable to the country’s mining sector.
It is also charged with assessing mining activities and sort out rights and responsibilities of investors on the one hand and the Government on the other.
The committee, which has been given three months within which to complete its work, is under instruction to meet with the Chamber of Mines and other key stakeholders before giving its recommendations.
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