By Polycarp Machira

The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. The deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Job Yusto Ndugai, has over the last two weeks been criticized by many people, including religious leaders, politicians and the general public, over his stand on allowances paid to Members of Parliament.

But the Kongwa Member of Parliament, told The Citizen on Sunday this week that he owes nobody an apology over the remarks, saying that he decided to speak out in reaction to serious attacks on an institution he is leading, to set the record straight. 

“I could not just keep quiet as some people decided to feed the public with wrong information without considering what is happening in other  pillars of state. I lead the parliament and will always defend it against unreasonable attacks,” said the deputy speaker. 

The soft-spoken legislator who is serving his third term in parliament blamed those discussing MPs’ allowances,  accusing them of harbouring hidden agendas. 

It all started about a fortnight ago when the deputy speaker strongly responded to retired Prime Minister Fredrick Sumaye’s claim that Bunge was not doing justice to the country by planning to increase sitting allowances.

Mr Ndugai called for the formation of a commission that will transparently regulate, set salary standards and allowance payments for public servants. 

He noted that some countries with salary commissions are no longer debating public servants’ allowances and salaries due to transparency.

Mr Ndugai said such allowances and salaries should be set in grades and placed on websites, accessible to all interested parties, noting that   “Tanzanians seem to lack information on what others in the civil service are  earning.”

Observers say Ndugai missed the point by attacking Sumaye personally and sidestepping the arguments, as he was duty bound to answer basic questions among Tanzanians. 

Many, including some influential lawmakers, have since been criticizing the Bunge decision to apply for an increase of sitting allowance, asking whether the costs of living were selectively rising in Dodoma and for MPs alone. Some religious leaders, teachers and doctors described the decision as selfish.

“Is Ndugai not ashamed of the government’s failure to settle medical  interns’ outstanding allowances when he insists on increased MPs’ perks from the same coffers?” wondered the University of Dar es Salaam senior lecturer, Dr Azaveli Lwaitama.

This came even as more people raised their voice in protest over the 185 per cent increase of the allowances from Sh70, 000 to Sh200, 000 a day, owing to what they term as increase of the cost of living in Dodoma.

Mr. Ndugai has since indicated that the matter will be discussed in parliament in its meetings scheduled to start later this month, adding that feedback will be communicated to the general public. 

He said it was not proper to cancel allowances but the government should look into ways of enabling ordinary citizens financially and ensure better life for all.

 He said MPs’ salaries were comparable to those of managers and directors in big companies or the private sector. 

Before rising to the post of deputy speaker of the National Assembly, he has been as Member of Parliament for Kongwa constituency since 2000. He has served in different government offices before joining politics.

The deputy speaker was born in 1960 in Kongwa district. He went to Matare Primary School between 1971 and 1977 before joining Kibaha Secondary School in 1978 to 1981 for ordinary secondary education.

He then  joined Old Moshi High School for advanced secondary education in 1982 to 1984. Mr Ndugai later joined Mweka Wildlife College where he earned a diploma in wildlife management in 1988.

The deputy speaker proceeded to the University of Dar es Salaam the following year, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Zoology Wildlife Ecology)  in 1993 before moving to the  University of Norway where he attained Masters Degree in Management of Natural Resources  and Sustainable Agriculture in 1996.

The deputy speaker worked as a  wildlife officer in Liwale district between 1988 and 1989 before he became manager, Selous Game Reserve from 1993 to 1996. He later served as coordination officer in the ministry of Natural Resources in 1996.

Hon Ndugai was the Manager, Serengeti Regional Conservation Project between 1997 and 1999 before serving as technical officer, Frankfurt Zoological Society in 2000.

His political history dates back to 1981 when he became a member of Chama cha Mapinduzi, till now.  He was the party’s chairman in his workplace between 1996 and 1999. Between 1996 and 1999, he was the party ward youth commander.