Ewura should stop taking Tanzanians for a ride

        Joking aside, I was shocked when I read somewhere that the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) is seeking public input on how to go about Independent Power Tanzania Ltd (IPTL) mega holdup. EWURA’s acting director for legal services, Edwin Kadifu was quoted by this paper (June 9^th, 2017) as saying “we call on public to exercise their right, and send us their views on whether to extend IPTL’s licence, or not instead of using the media platforms to complain about the procedure which is legally based.” To show how this is goofy and devoid of any momentousness, Kadifu didn’t provide the address to which to send the said views. So, too, the EWURA decided to use private media but not government gazette. Ironically, Kadifu seems to abhor the tendency of using media to complain while he ironically did the same.

Due to this travesty, I’d like to ask the following questions to the EWURA:

First, did the EWURA write to any stakeholders such as Human rights organisation, Non-Governmental Organisation and others firms dealing with public advocacy to see to it that it gets what it wants?

Secondly, why didn’t the EWURA apply the same rationale–namely seeking public inputs–before, especially at the time it entered such spurious agreement that saw our country being turned into El Dorado; and since when did the powers that be seek public views on anything?

Thirdly, why’s the EWURA advertised its appeal on public media but not government gazette; if, indeed, it’s serious so as to be taken seriously?

Fourth, is the EWURA ready to make public the contracts our homemade criminals entered with the IPTL first so that we can see what’s in there in order to be well versed with the goings-on? Who’s fooling whom so as to take him or her for a ride easily?

Fifth, is the EWURA ready to divulge the names of the culprits who entered the agreements; and those who benefitted from the deal therefrom?

            Sixth, how far sure are we that our inputs will be accommodated; not to mention being used to the letter?

Seventh, is the EWURA ready to sponsor the motion of amending the laws governing contracts so that the hoi polloi can put their inputs?

Eighth, what’s government’s position in this vis-à-vis punishing the culprits of who many are still in public services illegally thanks to being connected or bashited?

 Ninth, is the EWURA ready to prosecute the culprits so that we can evidence justice being delivered? Under which law’s the EWURA seeking hoi polloi’s inputs?

 Tenth, is the EWURA seeking to involve the general public in this criminality; and why now not then when the deal was done and dusted by a few criminals who have since gone Scott free? Will the general public allow itself to be hoodwinked; and being taken for a ride for its obvious peril?

Demonstrably, there’s something fishy in this new and impromptu mercy that the EWURA seeks to display. I’d candidly say that before seeking our inputs, the EWURA must do the following:

            First, look the culprits in the face–be they small or big–and thereby duly punish them so as to convince the hoi polloi that such delinquency won’t be replicated apart from sending a clear and strong signal to those still at large contemplating to replicate the same.

            Second, amend the laws governing the current contract before issuing such a gobbledygook appeal so that we can efficiently tackle the problems.

            Thirdly, prosecute the culprits so that they can receive their rewards according to the law and logic.

            Lastly, retrieve all spoils such as monies, cars, houses, land, and other property made out of the scam.

Source: The Citizen Wednesday today.