HOME MINISTRY SEEKS TO SEE PACTS WITH PRIVATE FIRMS

THE Ministry of Home Affairs has directed security agencies under its jurisdiction to submit all contracts they had entered with private companies so that it scrutinize and sees the possibility of terminating them.

The move was a follow up on the directive by President John Magufuli who ordered that security forces should stop partnering with private firms in hiring or selling their buildings for business purposes, saying all structures under the forces should be under the possession of the particular force.

In a follow up move, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary (PS, Major-General Projest Rwegasira, told the ‘Daily News’ that they would deploy competent lawyers to look into the agreements and establish the stage reached in implementing each contract.

“We want to ensure that the government does not incur costs upon terminating the contracts as we go about implementing the President’s directive. His directive must be implemented actively,” Mr Rwegasira emphasized.

President Magufuli, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, gave the directive on November this year when made an impromptu visit at the Ukonga Prison in Dar es Salaam. Among the major projects that the security agencies implement in collaboration with the private companies include construction of residential units at Oysterbay in Dar es Salaam.

President John Magufuli pointed a finger at the ongoing construction of Oysterbay Police Complex in Kinondoni Municipality, bringing to light that the pact is likely to be surrounded by a number of uncertainties. “Oysterbay is a prime area.

Everyone knows it. You entered into contracts that you personally know ... someone was given to build the place for you. What was the problem for you to get a title deed -- the document that you could have used to get loan from banks and setup own commercial structure that can also accommodate your police,” he had queried.

The president then ordered all the contracts regarding construction of various structures by Mara World Tanzania Limited to be submitted immediately to the PS. “The project is huge and it has been long,” reads part of the statement.

Maj. Gen. Rwegasira made an impromptu inspection of the ongoing construction of police residential units in Mikocheni and Kunduchi to witness the actual progress. The PS visited the ongoing construction of the police post at Oysterbay.

Mara World Tanzania Limited is expected to construct the modern police post, office apartments, hospital, shops and hotel at the site.