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``Govt has no business with Ballali – for now`
2008-05-09 09:26:39
By Lusekelo Philemon
The government has no business with immediate former Bank of Tanzania governor Daudi Ballali for now, the State House said yesterday.
However, it emphasized that it would easily find him if it found need to get him back into the country.
Ballali was relieved of his duties by President Jakaya Kikwete in January this year after the bank`s external payment arrears account (EPA) suffered a loss of billion of shillings and has not been seen in public since.
Days after his position was taken over by Prof Benno Ndulu, it was officially reported that he was undergoing specialised treatment in a Boston hospital in the US.
From then, it has been confusion upon confusion with no one giving any definitive clues on his whereabouts.
On Wednesday the media quoted Finance and Economic Affairs minister Mustafa Mkullo as saying he equally was not aware of where the former central bank chief currently is.
Following Ballali’s sacking, President Kikwete formed a team comprising Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika, Inspector General of Police Said Mwema and Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau Director General Edward Hoseah to investigate the saga involving the payment of 133bn/- in EPA funds to dubious companies.
In his briefing to reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, State House Communication Director Salva Rweyemamu said the government will have interest in the whereabouts of the former governor only if he is implicated in the scandal.
``At the moment Ballali remains an ordinary citizen who is free to live anywhere he wishes,`` he said.
Rweyemamu also cleared the president over public criticism
that he has been making too many foreign trips on government funds, saying the tours played a pivotal role in boosting the country’s economic development.
``There are lots of criticisms out there that the President is travelling too much. But people should understand that President Kikwete wants his dream of ensuring a better life for all Tanzanians to come true, and these trips are part of his agenda,`` he explained.
The State House official noted that the president is the overseer of the country’s domestic and international policies and his local and foreign travels form part of that responsibility.
``It should be noted that there are no benchmarks on the number of days the President ought to travel outside the country,`` he pointed out.
Rweyemamu added that it should not come as a surprise if President Kikwete made even more foreign trips from now on ``in that he is holding the additional portfolio of African Union Chairman - and the AU has a lot of activities``.
However, he kept emphasizing that all of the president`s foreign tours ``have come up with something tangible that has benefited our country``.
He cited the example of the recent visit to China during which Beijing sliced off $315 million from the amount Tanzania owed it.
China also promised to start economic development areas in Tanzania, a programme under which a string of development centres would be established across the country.
According to Rweyemamu, President Kikwete has already directed government officials to spot areas where the programme could conduct its activities.
The areas earmarked include Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Mtwara, Mwanza and Tanga. In Tanga it would partly be with a view to expediting the upgrading of the port.
``In those areas, the Chinese government is expected to develop well-planned urban centres having all important infrastructure. There will be industries, huge shopping malls and all important social services and facilities,`` elaborated the State House official.
He explained that the centres would help open up employment avenues for Tanzanians, thus boosting the country`s economic development.
``With respect to the health sector, China has pledged to put up a heart surgery complex that will be under the supervision of Muhimbili National Hospital,`` said Rweyemamu, adding that China had also promised to build model primary and secondary schools in Tanzania.
He said the President’s visits to Asia, the US and Europe had similarly won Tanzania invaluable commitments relating to support to the social and economic sectors.
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