Africa Parliament Vice President Stephen Masele questioned over ‘indiscipline’

Dodoma. Pan African Parliament First Vice President, Mr Stephen Masele, was today, May 20, 2019, questioned for four hours by a probe committee of the Tanzania Parliament over alleged “indiscipline.”

Mr Masele who is the Member of Parliament for Shinyanga Urban was summoned from South Africa for grilling following unspecified accusations leveled against him by the Speaker Job Ndugai.

He appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Power, Ethics and Privileges chaired by Tabora Urban MP Emmannuel Mwakasala. Masele entered the interview room at 11: 34Hrs and left 15:18Hrs.

Immediately after he left the room, Masele spoke to journalists and maintained his innocence. In the interview, he hinted to the fact that his interrogation may have been linked to his role in PAP.

“I have been a deputy minister in the government, I know leadership ethics, I never messed, my track record speaks for itself. In whatever I say, I stand for the truth and respect my colleagues,” said Mr Masele.

He added: “It is my expectation that justice will be done because I have not done anything contrary to the procedures in my work as MP in our Parliament and also the African Parliament as its vice president.”

Regarding the claims of indiscipline, he said; “I assure Tanzanians that I was only defending the principles of human rights and that cannot be interpreted as a misconduct.”

Mr Mwakasala said they will sieve the information that Masele provided and write a report which will be forwarded to Mr Ndugai for further action.

He however didn’t disclose the exact magnitude of misconduct that the MP was involved in.