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Sitta explains why he cancelled US trip
2008-02-07 09:20:22
By Angel Navuri, Dodoma
Speaker of the National Assembly Samuel Sitta told the House yesterday that he had called off his trip to the US following mounting pressure from legislators who demanded debate on the Richmond Development Corporation scam report soon.
In an unprecedented move last weekend, legislators who gathered here for a seminar organised by the Energy and Minerals ministry to discuss a bill on electricity refused to discuss anything before the Richmond report was tabled before the House.
The MPs were adamant, sticking to their guns and the seminar ended prematurely.
Giving the reason for canceling the trip in his first appearance in the House since last week, Sitta said he reached the decision after he was informed by his deputy, Anne Makinda, of the seminar cancellation.
``During my trip to the United States, I was expected to attend a national prayer breakfast along with different leaders from Africa and it`s always held in February of every year,`` he said.
The Speaker noted that the trip was not that important compared to the Richmond report, that`s why he decided to call it off, stressing that his presence when the report is discussed was crucial because the Deputy Speaker could not deal with the matter alone.
On the eve of his planned departure for the US Sitta warned his deputy not to entertain debates on sensitive issues, including reports on the Richmond Development Corporation and Bank of Tanzania scandals, before his return.
The legislators` seminar last week intended to discuss the proposed Electricity and Petroleum Supply bills went up in smoke as the MPs demanded to debate the Richmond scam report first.
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