Lema tells off Ndugai over claim of Sh600m bank debt
Dar/ Dodoma. Arusha Urban Member of Parliament Godbless Lema has hit back at the Speaker of the National Assembly for making claims he is owes some financial institutions over Sh600 million.
The outspoken MP said it was not true that he was under stress due to the amount of money he owes some financial institutions, saying borrowing was not a crime.
“He claims that I am under stress because of the amount of money I owe some financial institutions, but I would like to set the record straight because I am not under any stress. Borrowing is neither a sin nor a crime and I will continue to borrow,” he told The Citizen’s sister newspaper Mwananchi.
He was speaking shortly after the parliament passed a resolution to suspend Mr Lema from attending parliament for three consecutive seating with immediate effect for his weak parliament jibe.
On Wednesday the Speaker of the National Assembly ordered Mr Lema to appear before the Parliamentary Powers, Privileges and Ethics Committee after backing a statement made by Kawe Member of Parliament Halima Mdee that Parliament was weak. The later has also been suspended.
Yesterday the Speaker told reporters that Parliament will review its regulations to make sure it was not held accountable in case a Member of Parliament who acquired a loan failed to service it.
“When you are an MP you should always put forward the interests of your electorate rather than your own,” said the Speaker.
Some independent analysts faulted Mr Ndugai for making public an individual’s financial records.
A lecturer from University of Dar es Salaam Dr James Jesse said financial records of someone is always confidential so it was wrong for the speaker to reveal Mr Lema’s.
According to him there is a procedure from, which the amount of money that someone owes financial institution could be made public and that it is only, when he fail to re-service his loan.
The same was echoed by independent lawyer Jebra Kambole, who insisted that Tanzania constitution provide everyone with right to privacy.
