Government will take back project money, Samia tells leaders

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned authorities in Mara yesterday that the money disbursed to the region for development projects will be returned to the treasury if it is not utilised after six months since its release.

Speaking during a function to lay a foundation stone for the construction of a water treatment plant at Bunda Township yesterday, President Hassan castigated laziness and embezzlement of funds by some leaders in the region, calling upon Mara residents to raise their voice against such habits.

“For those projects whose funds are yet to be utilised, I will recall the money back to the treasury because it shows you are not ready for the projects and that is how it is going to be from now on,” she said.

“We release huge funds believing there are people who will manage and implement what is intended. If they do not do so please send the message to us so that we can be aware of how bad things are,” she said.

The President also said there were concerns for some council officials in charge of projects to procure equipment and materials at costs that are higher than the intended amount, saying doing so was misuse of public funds.

“Instead of procuring it at a wholesale price they buy it at retail shops and most of the time these shops belong to them,” she said.

Yesterday was President Hassan’s fourth day of her Mara visit whereas on Sunday, she laid a foundation stone for the construction of Mugango-Kiabakari-Butiama Water Supply Project and visited the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Hospital. The water treatment plant in Bunda, which the President visited yesterday, is valued at Sh10.6 billion and will be capable of treating 15 million litres per day according to the minister of Water, Mr Juma Aweso.

He said the projects would benefit 14 wards in Bunda district.

“In the previous project, we were treating three 3.7 litres of water a day while the district demand is at nine million litres of water a day. This means that we had a deficit of six million litres of water,” he said.

He promised to work around the clock to make sure that the project is completed and handed over to the people by April of this year.