Queries after JPM’s Sh159bn pay pledge

Minister for State in the President’s Office (Public Service and Good Governance) George Mkuchika addresses members of the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat (PSRS) in Dar es Salaam yesterday. With him are PSRS board chairperson Rose Lugembe (left) and Deputy Permanent Secretary Susan Mlawi. PHOTO | ERICKY BONIPHACE

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Opposition lawmakers accuse the government of continuing to break the law with impunity insofar as public expenditure is concerned with questions being raised as to where the tens of billions will come from     

Dar es Salaam. Opposition Members of Parliament have questioned the source of the funds that the government plans to spend next month to pay new salaries to over 59,000 civil servants.

The MPs accused the government of continuing to break the law insofar as public expenditure is concerned.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Mr Zitto Kabwe (Kigoma Urban-ACT-Wazalendo), Ms Halima Mdee (Kawe-Chadema) and Ms Ester Bulaya (Bunda Urban-Chadema) said the government was illegally spending public funds outside the budget approved by Parliament. They were reacting to President John Magufuli’s announcement on Friday that the government would spend Sh159 billion next month to pay 59,966 public employees who have been successfully vetted.

The President was speaking in Zanzibar during celebrations to commemorate 18 years since the death of the founding father of the nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.

Dr Magufuli did not elaborate on plans to raise the funds but he gave the pledge amid growing pressure from workers’ unions and politicians for the government to honour a pledge to raise the salaries of civil servants. The Head of State had come under criticism from Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (Tucta) and political rivals for declaring at an Association of Local Authorities of Tanzania (ALAT) annual conference that he would not raise the salaries of workers due to budgetary constraints.

Other than new salaries, Tucta has been pushing for payment of arrears amounting to billions of shillings to public sector workers. The union welcomed Dr Magufuli’s pledge in Zanzibar.

Yesterday, however, the newly appointed Minister for Public Services and Good Governance, Mr George Mkuchika, played down the concerns raised by the MPs and declared that the government would raise funds to pay the civil servants from any of available sources.

“When the government plans something it always implements it no matter what…..we will go ahead with our plans irrespective of where the money will come from,” said Mr Mkuchika in response to a question.

He spoke during a visit to the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat (PSRS).

The minister last week said civil servants would be paid once the vetting of their academic certificates as well as birth registration details were cleared. He said some 40,000 civil servants provided mislaeding information about their ages.

Yesterday, opposition MPs questioned the manner in which the President was spending public funds, noting that the latest case was part of a trend of taxpayers’ money being spent without the approval of Parliament as required by law.

Mr Kabwe said the money for promoting public servants was not allocated in the 2017/2018 budget.

“Were there any funds set aside for public servants’ promotion? That begs an answer from Finance and Planning Minister, but as far as I am concerned no such funds were set aside.

“Salary increment is a legal issue and not political one. It is high time Dr Philip Mpango came out publicly and shed light on where the government will get the money” Mr Kabwe added.

Finance and Planning shadow minister Halima Mdee voiced similar sentiments.

She said the decision was a continuation of the government’s tendency of “ignoring budget discipline.”