Contractors paid Sh13bn as more arrears verified

Dodoma. The government yesterday said it was verifying all debts it owed contractors, who delivered services to various public schools before starting repaying them.

Deputy minister in the President’s Office (Local Government and Regional Administration) Selemani Jaffo (pictured) told the Parliament that the government had already repaid Sh13.2 billion out of Sh64 billion it owed contractors as of May 2016.

He revealed the figures, when responding to Special Seats MP Josephine Ngenzabuke (CCM), who wanted to know, when the government would start repaying them.

In her main question, Special Seats MP Bernadeta Mushashu (CCM) wanted to know the amount of money the government owed the contractors.

Responding, Mr Jaffo admitted the government had yet to repay the contractors, who delivered food and other services to public schools. He said initially, the government owed the contractors, who had provided such services to schools Sh54,860,630,458 and had not also paid Sh9, 907,230,139 to others, who had delivered diverse scholastic materials.

“These debts accrued before the government started a free primary education programme in the country,” he told the Parliament.

Expounding on that, the Finance and Planning deputy minister, Dr Ashantu Kijaji, assured the Parliament that the government would continue repaying the debts in different phases after completing verification to determine the amount of money needed for each case.