President Magufuli reveals why he monitors phone messages of his appointees
What you need to know:
- President John Magufuli said during the swearing-in ceremony at State House today that he made changes in the ministry of Health after monitoring communication of the minister and another government official.
Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli revealed today, Wednesday 9, 2019 that he monitors the phone conversations of his government appointees and urged them to improve their working relationship.
Speaking during the swearing in ceremony of newly appointed members of the cabinet, Permanent Secretaries and other senior officials, President Magufuli said that to some extent, his decision to appoint Dr Zainab Chaula as new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health was informed by telephone conversation between her and the minister of Health Ms Ummy Mwalimu.
“When I tracked the telephone message communication between the minister of Health [Mwalimu] and Dr Chaula [who was deputy permanent secretary in the Local Government and Regional Administration in charge of Health] I noticed a strain in their working relationship. So to make their quarrels come to a stop, I decided to place them under the same ministry...’’ he reveled.
“As you take up your new roles, you will face a lot of trials,’’ President Magufuli warned the attending government leaders at the ceremony held at Statehouse in Dar es Salaam. He said there were quarrels on matters to do with government decisions among some of the ministers, permanent secretaries regional and district leaders.
“I am watching them. This should stop,’’ he emphasized as he further revealed his watch-list of the leaders in other regions of the country where there is strained relationship among government appointees.
On Tuesday January 8, Dr Magufuli made a min- cabinet reshuffle where he shifted the minister for Mining Ms Angellah Kairuki to the Prime Minister’s Office (Investment) and promoted Dotto Biteko from deputy to full minister in the Mining ministry. He also made changes among Permanent Secretaries, including appointing Dr Chaula as new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health. She took over the role of Dr Mpoki Ulisubisya who has now been appointed as ambassador.
The president, however, praised Dr Chaula for overseeing the construction of over 300 health facilities across the country.
