Why quake relief cash wasn’t given to survivors: JPM

Bukoba. President John Magufuli yesterday defended the government’s decision not to give to earthquake survivors the money donated by well-wishers, stating that the cash was too little to satisfy the needs of all the affected. Addressing a public rally in Bukoba yesterday, President Magufuli said the government’s decision to use the money on repairing and rebuilding infrastructure affected by last year’s earthquake was the right one. “The destroyed  infrastructure was of necessity to many people and it made sense to give it priority,” he told Bukoba residents.

An earthquake that measured at a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale, struck Kagera Region on September 10, killing at least 19 people and injuring 360 others, with most of the destruction and deaths taking place in Bukoba Town. About 16,667 houses were destroyed, leaving 126,315 people homeless.

More than Sh10 billion was donated by individuals, private businesses, aid organisations and foreign governments. President Magufuli noted yesterday that besides the fact that the money wasn’t enough, the government was in no position to top up the deficit because it was pressed with responsibilities.

He gave the example of hundreds of people who were affected by floods in Kilosa District in Morogoro Region in 2010 who are, to date, waiting for the government to build houses for them.

“Natural disasters will always occur  and the government might not always be in a position to rebuild the lives of those who are affected,” President Magufuli explained. He took the opportunity of the public rally to officially close the Kagera Disaster Committee which was responsible for coordinating relief. Some Sh4.5 billion that was pledged is yet to be deposited into the committee’s account.

“Winding up the committee, however, is not the end of making contributions,” said the President, adding:

“Those who wish to contribute should henceforth  donate directly to the survivors.”

The Sh5.6 billion donated by the UK government, which is part of the Sh10 billion donated by well-wishers, should be spent to repair the Ihungo High School, Dr Magufuli said.

Meanwhile President Magufuli has ordered the nationalisation of the CCM-owned Omumwani Secondary School after Sh116 million of the earthquake relief fund went into rehabilitating it.

The school was seriously damaged by the September 10 earthquake but rehabilitating it using money from the relief fund caused an uproar from opposition politicians and their supporters.

Addressing the complaints last year, Kagera Regional Commissioner Salum Kijuu said Omumwani was rehabilitated  using money from the relief fund because it was used to accommodate students from the government-owned Ihungo Secondary School that was completely flattened by the earthquake.

Yesterday, President Magufuli said because of the complaints, the best solution was to transfer the ownership of the school to the government.

“I order the minister responsible for Education to ensure the employment of all the teachers of the school are shifted to the government payroll. The school will henceforth be the property of the government,” President Magufuli said

The school was established in 1966 and became the very first parents-owned school in Tanzania. Its ownership was then transferred to CCM when the parents’ organisation (popularly known as Tapa—acronym for Tanzania Parent’s Association) became a wing of the ruling party. The President toured the school yesterday and ordered an audit of the money spent to repair Omumwani.

“I have been told that Sh116 million was spent to repair the school but I have credible information that the real amount spent was over Sh170 billion. An audit should be conducted,” President Magufuli directed.