Tanzania removes cashew nut board boss, suspends auctions

Dar es Salaam. The government has removed the acting director general of the Cashew nut Board of Tanzania (CBT) Prof Wakuru Magigi on Friday October 26, 2018 following a row that saw farmers boycott the cashew nut auctions.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa travelled to Lindi earlier in the morning and met regional commissioners of Lindi, Mtwara, Pwani and Ruvuma, chairs of the cooperative unions and officials of the CBT to discuss issues affecting cashew nut trading especially the low pricing.

In the afternoon, the Premier’s office issued a statement saying that President John Magufuli ordered the removal of the CBT boss for failure to supervise the produce trading system.

Prof Magigi should return at the Ministry of Agriculture’s headquarters, according to the statement.

The government also suspended the cashew nut auctions until October 30, 2018 when new arrangements will be announced.

“The CBT director is being blamed for failure to involve cooperatives in the business and for not respecting authorities like regional commissioners,” reads part of the statement.

“He is also accused of running armed operations against leaders of cashew nut cooperatives contrary to procedures governing the country.”

Mr Majaliwa directed Lindi and Mtwara Regional Police Commanders (RPCs) to seize a vehicle and people who are reported to threaten the cooperative union leaders and force them to accept low prices.

“The board has been intimidating farmers and leaders of cooperative unions, forcing them to accept low prices, something the government will not accept,” he said.

Those involved in the scam should be hunted and questioned to establish the person who instructed them to carry such an illegal operation, added Mr Majaliwa.

Earlier, Lindi and Mtwara Regional Commissioners Godfrey Zambi and Gelasius Byakanwa told the premier that Prof Magigi deliberately disrupted the market after he refused to receive their advice on the best was of trading the merchandise.