The Management of the Tarime District Council (TDC)
has accused its District Commissioner (DC) John Henjewele for what they regard
as the abuse of office power after having been interfered with the education
fund project in the district. The fund project which is being donated by the
giant global mining company, the African Barrick Gold Corp in the district is
managed by the district council, and aims to help students of families of the
seven villages surrounding the North Mara Gold mine located at Nyamongo township
in the district. This is part of the agreement reached over five years ago between
the company which operates mining activities in the area and the management of
the district council with a view to sponsor college students of such families who
are pursuing studies in various colleges in the country. The contribution on
the education fund is part of the Social and Corporate Responsibility the
mining company offers for social development targeting education sector alone. The
Chairman of the Tarime District Council (TDC) Amos Sagara said in an exclusive
interview in his office last week that, since the DC’s interference the fund has
been dwindling and is engulfed with lots of problems which has disrupted their
programs as a whole. He noted that the DC has directed the fund to be under his
own management, thus causing the operation to become so difficult to evaluate
transactions properly, adding that most students in needy are likely to miss
such a potential help. He said the DC has overtaken the management of this fund
by force using his power of the office as a district commissioner, an aspect
that the beneficiaries have a less chance of getting admission in various colleges
and learning institutions at this opening time because he does the work by
segregating the intended group.
Elaborating more, he noted that, “the DC has formed
an institution which he didn’t mention to which the money donated is being
directed may be for his personal benefits”. However, he could not give the specific
amount of money likely to have got lost when asked by this reporter. He said it
was not good to divert the management system for which the fund has been
operating under the auspices of the district council as the main custodian for
the people in Nyamongo township since its establishment over five years ago. It
is from this point of view that, the TDC Chairman has therefore regarded the
move as the abuse of office power an aspect which he said has caused an
internal crisis for most users are likely to miss the intended help for which
the fund was established. However, he said that, his council has been affected
to a certain extent by its DC’s interference which has deteriorated the
development of the district council’s other development plans. On his part the
DC Henjewele has refuted such allegations leveled against him when contacted by
this reporter in a telephone interview on Monday this week. “I cannot elaborate
more on the issue because you have failed to come into my office the moment you
heard about the matter” he said adding that, he had the details that could
verify the authenticity of the whole issue which he couldn’t be able to speak
in a telephone interview. However, he declined to give those details as he was
not ready to speak anything further. Meanwhile, the CCM party publicity
secretary for ideology Mr. Nape Mnauye paid a visit to the area in his
familiarization tour in early November last year and was briefed various
problems facing the people in villages surrounding the Gold Mine. Among the
most crucial problems the CCM cadre was told is the misappropriation of the
education fund which leaders of the villages noted that had been sabotaged by
few including the DC John Henjewele. However, the CCM party cadre promised the leaders
that the government would investigate the matter for a span of time, after
which it would not hesitate to take legal actions against those who would be
found to have been directly implicated in the mismanagement of the fund.
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