Kinondoni mayor, DC in a power war

Dar es Salaam. Kinondoni mayor Mr Boniface Jacob has criticised the District Commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda, for interfering in the municipal council duties.

The new development came just days after the DC declared publicly that the council would receive US$300 million (at least Sh600 billion) from the World Bank (WB), part of which will be used to improve road infrastructure.

Mr Jacob said it was improper for Mr Makonda to make public, something that the municipal council was still pursuing. The mayor said he was in charge of all projects in the municipality, and yet, Mr Makonda had been commenting on the council’s plans without consulting him.

He said the issue of funds from the World Bank and their expenditure were issues that are supposed to be discussed by the accounts committee before being presented to the full council for endorsement.

“What Mr Makonda did is a breach of the laws and regulations of the municipal council which directed that the matters under discussion in committees of the full council are treated as secrets and shouldn’t be disclosed to the public use,” he said, adding: “Suppose the full council rejects the plans while the district commissioner had already assured the public over the funds and projects to be implemented?” Mr Jacob asked.

He said Mr Makonda was not entitled to speak on matters concerning the municipality, noting that spokespersons are the district director, mayor or public relations officer.In his reaction, Mr Makonda told The Citizen that Mr Jacob was still new in the position and was therefore speaking out of ignorance. “He has been in the position for just one month. He still needs to learn. Allow him a bit of extra time, and you will not hear such complaints from him after he would have fully known the boundaries of my duties as district commissioner,” he said.