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Roundup: Tanzania's special anti-corruption court to begin work July 1: PM

Xinhua, June 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced on Thursday that the east African nation's newly established special anti-corruption court starts work on July 1.

Adjourning Parliament sessions in the country's political capital Dodoma, Majaliwa said the government has done everything possible to make sure that the court was established as pledged by President John Magufuli.

President Magufuli had promised to establish the anti-corruption court during presidential campaigns for the October 2015 general election, saying fighting corruption was one of his priorities.

"I am happy to inform this August House that the court will finally start its activities tomorrow (Friday)," he said amid applause from the floor that was full of Members of Parliament from the ruling party - Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) alone.

He said with the court in place, cases of bribery and corruption will be dealt with swiftly.

In the same vein, Majaliwa said the court will help to strengthen anti-corruption bodies like the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).

"With the court, we are confident that people who live corruptly will have to think twice before engaging in such malpractice," said the Prime Minister.

He added: "We will also be assured that businesspeople will now be able to conduct their businesses and pay tax without getting the allure to go for shortcuts," he said, noting that whistleblowers will be protected.

Earlier this week, the Parliament approved the Written Laws Miscellaneous Act (No. 2) Bill, 2016, with a view to improving 21 laws whose implementation had been problematic in the past.

In April, the Director General of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Valentino Mlowola, said: "We are very happy with the establishment of a special anti-corruption court."

He said the decision by the government to establish the court showed its political will in fighting corruption.

Statistics showed that there were 3,911 cases involving corruption allegations during the 2015/16 of which investigations on 324 cases had already been completed. Endit