I beg your forgiveness, Msigwa tells Kinana

Dar es Salaam. Iringa Urban lawmaker Rev Peter Msigwa yesterday apologised to former CCM secretary general Abdulrahman Kinana for calling him a ‘poacher’ during a 2013 parliamentary session.

Delivering the alternative budget for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in Parliament during the 2013/14 financial year debate, Mr Msigwa called Mr Kinana a ‘poacher’ and illegal dealer in ivory trade.

Mr Kinana sued the outspoken lawmaker at the High Court in 2013, demanding the payment of Sh350 million in damages.

Lady Justice Zainabu Mruke found Rev Msigwa guilty after he failed to prove the allegations against Mr Kinana.

Rev Msigwa said in Dar es Salaam yesterday during a press conference that was live-streamed that he has satisfied himself that the allegations he had raised against Mr Kinana were unfounded.

He said the information issued to him was untrue and that it [the information] had malicious and political intentions.

“I regret that I received the information from people who harboured malicious intentions, though, they were people I trusted. There was someone I trusted who tipped me on the issue but who is no longer with me in my office,” he said.

He said he takes full responsibility because, being a shadow minister, he should have conducted due diligence before presenting the issue in Parliament.

He said such issues happen in life and as a human being he was duty bound to issue an apology to Mr Kinana and exuded happiness that the latter had accepted the apology.

“I have wronged him. I had exposed him to shame. I have defamed him. I have met with him in person and asked for his forgiveness which he accepted. I have come forward to speak out it because I know that he was not the only one injured by what I said against him. Equally injured by my utterance were members of his family, his friends and all those close to him,” he said.

He said having worked in government since the days of President Julius Nyerere, Mr Kinana deserved respect.

“With this apology, the court case now officially ceases,” he said.