THE HYPOCRICY OF ARROGANCE

The Tanzanian government is chirping loudly over the BAE scandal and the fact that the 46 million US dollar fine to be remitted back to Tanzania will be given to charitable organisations and not the Tanzanian government.

So incensed is the Tanzanian government, that Bernard Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs is reportedly sending a team of senior officials to London to negotiate the release of the money directly to central government.

If indeed Mr. Membe’s plea is successful, this will mean that the Tanzanian Ministers involved with the BAE scandal will be rewarded twice for their corruption. This takes corruption in Tanzania to an ingenious and uniquly high level, even for Africa!

The Tanzanian government’s newspaper the Daily News, reported yesterday that Britain should return the money to central government suggesting any other course would be akin to conduct used by the British to colonise Tanzania and plunder it’s resources. It further suggested that the charities to which the money would be paid over would be British and ‘a perfect ploy to ensure the money returns to Britain’.

The Daily News states ‘’ We think Mr Membe has made it abundantly clear that Britain has no right to impose conditions for the return of the money stolen from the Tanzania government ….the two countries enjoy cordial relations built on mutual respect and there is absolutely no reason for London to rock the boat’.

Bizarrely, the Tanzanian government appear to be suggesting that the returning funds were stolen from the Tanzanian government. Let us be clear what these funds represent. The funds represent a bribe paid to the Tanzanian government, nothing more or nothing less. Those who accepted the bribe within the Tanzanian government have not been named or dealt with in accordance with Tanzanian law and there appears to be no investigation proceeding in this respect.

Until such time as the Tanzanian government are prepared to be self effacing about the situation and publicly expose the Tanzanian Ministers involved in the corruption in this case then it may be more prudent of Mr. Member to simply be grateful that the money is being returned in any form!

In any event, let us please be spared the colonial clap trap!!