Mbatia: Where is Acacia's Sh430 trillion?

Dodoma. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Vunjo, Mr James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi) has asked the government to show how much of the fines, slapped on Acacia Gold Mine, will be included in the budget for the financial year 2018/19.

Debating the government's Sh32.5 trillion budget proposal for the financial year 2018/19 in Parliament on Monday, June 25, 2018, Mr Mbatia said it was unfortunate that the country was given 'fake' hopes of windfall revenues from the gold mining firm.

"It was during a time like this one last year that we were told the country would get money that would be enough to cover 13 years of our budgets but we have not been told how much of that money will be availed during this budget," he said.

Last year, Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) slapped a $190 billion (about Sh430 trillion) on Acacia in unpaid taxes, penalties and interests.

He said it was astounding that the government was remaining quite at a time when some publications were advancing divisive policies.

"There are publications that publish articles that are bent towards dividing Tanzanians across tribal and religious lines but no action is taken against them," he said.

He said it has reached a point whereby religious bodies were being linked to certain tribes by some publications yet the government - which is always active at banning some 'credible' publications which may not be in the government's favour - remains quite.

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