Dr Magufuli
The minister for Works, Dr John Magufuli, yesterday warned his ministry’s top lieutenants that he will have no mercy on those who are corrupt and hypocrites. With his no-nonsense deputy minister, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, at his side, Dr Magufuli mentioned a number of areas that he said called for immediate attention.
He was officially starting work by meeting the officials after he was sworn-in by President Jakaya Kikwete on Saturday together with other ministers and deputy ministers.
He mentioned some of the areas that needed immediate attention as the employment friction for the National Roads Agency (Tanroads) chief executive officer, construction of the Kigamboni bridge, the slow construction of Mandela Expressway, traffic congestion in Dar es Salaam and construction of flyovers in the city.
Other thorny areas, according to the minister, are corruption within the tendering system, delayed repayment of government houses and double standards among workers in the ministry.
Dr Magufuli, who was vividly furious, said all these abnormalities affected the performance of the ministry, declaring: “It is now time for serious work.”
Initially the meeting was planned to be held behind closed doors, but Dr Magufuli allowed journalists in.
He warned senior government officials who had acquired government houses to repay their loans within a month before relevant action is taken against them.
He also warned the Tanroads chief executive officer, Mr Ephraim Mrema, to stop advertising managerial posts in newspapers without the consent of the board.
“I have read in one of the newspapers that you have advertised vacancies at regional and managerial levels. This must be stopped because it did not get the blessing of the board,” he said.
Mr Mrema is at the centre of controversy surrounding his employment, with reports indicating that his contract has expired a long time ago.
Dr Magufuli expressed dismay over Mr Mrema’s recent advertisement indicating the performance of Tanroads which was done without the consent of the then minister for Infrastructure Development, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa, and the ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr Omari Chambo.
Warning corrupt top ministry officials, he said their days were numbered since he was ready to use the services of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to net them.