.gif)
Adeladius Makwega – Dodoma
In the previous text, I continued outlining various questions and opinions from different stakeholders regarding that dispute, while receiving many comments and questions which I am trying to answer as best as I can.
As I continue to receive them whenever possible, I strive to present them openly so that you, my reader, may benefit.
Up to today, I recognize that my Muslim brothers and sisters are still observing the fast of the holy month of Ramadan. In honor of that, today I present the third stanza about that fasting:
This is the first ten
days, they will pass quickly,
We all seek His mercy, the Abundant One,
Our prayers have increased, we call upon the True One,
Ramadan has arrived, Lord forgive our sins.
Reader of this text, setting aside that stanza, understand that in our Tanzania there are only a few positions recognized by the Constitution that are protected with certain safeguards—even when the appointing authority wishes to remove the holder from office.
Often, many positions are mentioned in the Constitution, but removing the office holder remains at the discretion of the appointing authority. Among the few positions with such safeguards is that of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG).
This position is provided for under Articles 143 and 144 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977, as amended from time to time.
For example,
Article 143(1) states that there shall be a Controller and Auditor General of
the United Republic.
(2) The Controller and Auditor General shall have three main duties:
First, to ensure that any funds intended to be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund are authorized and are withdrawn in accordance with Article 136 of the Constitution. If satisfied, he approves their release.
Second, to ensure that all authorized expenditures from the Consolidated Fund—or funds approved by Parliament—are used for their intended purposes and in accordance with the authorization granted.
Third, at least once every year, to audit and report on the accounts of the Government of the United Republic, accounts managed by all government officials, the Judiciary, and those managed by the Clerk of the National Assembly.
These are very significant responsibilities for any nation, requiring a person of competence, expertise, and independent judgment.
You, dear reader, might be wondering—what am I getting at today?
Historical records of Tanzania show that from independence in 1961 to 2022, several individuals have held the position of CAG: RWA MC Coll (1961–1963), Gordon A. Hutchison (1964–1969), Mohamed Aboud (1969–1996), Thomas Kiama (1996–2005), Ludovick Utouh (2006–2014), Professor Musa Assad (2014–2019), and Charles Kichere (2019 to present).
When the late President John Magufuli swore in Charles Kichere at State House in Dar es Salaam, he made remarks that perhaps were not taken seriously at the time, as they were overshadowed by the departure of Professor Musa Assad:
“I know you are highly qualified, and we do not make mistakes when appointing. You had Division One in Form Four and Form Six, showing you are brilliant, not dull (laughter in the room). You studied law and obtained a degree, then also earned a degree in accounting with Upper Second Class Honours, never had a supplementary exam, and obtained a Master’s degree. You have worked in many places, so we trust you.”
These were President Magufuli’s words to the new CAG, Charles Kichere, after his swearing-in in 2019.
Kichere studied at Tambaza Secondary School in class “K,” which had several students including Christopher Mwakyusa (Kito) and Dr. Elizer Ndalama—previously mentioned as an orthopedic specialist at MOI, though recently reported to have moved to the United States.
In Form Three, Kichere chose the business studies stream, while Mwakyusa and Ndalama pursued science subjects.
Although he studied business, Kichere still shared some classes with his original classmates. He completed Form Four and sat for his exams with his peers.
When the results were released, it was unfortunate that although Tambaza students performed well overall, they performed very poorly in English Language. There was only one “A” in that subject.
Surprisingly, that top grade did not come from the students known to excel in English—it was obtained solely by Charles Kichere.
Teachers and students at Tambaza, disappointed by the results in a language that came to Tanganyika “by ship,” searched to find out who had achieved that lone “A.”
Eventually, they discovered it was Charles Kichere. He then went around visiting his friends’ homes, proudly showing off his excellent performance in English—while many of them had scored poorly in that subject.
At the time, he lived in Kinondoni Hananasif, just beyond the government housing area where private residences begin.
Thus, aside from his expertise in business studies, CAG Charles Kichere was also a champion of the English language at Tambaza Secondary School.
What comes next?
Wait for the next text.
0717649257
.gif)
Post a Comment