JK: No need for Mkapa to explain radar purchase
President Jakaya Kikwete has declared that he sees no need for his predecessor, Benjamin Mkapa, to explain how the 40 billion/- radar..
By Guardian Reporter, Brussels
President Jakaya Kikwete has declared that he sees no need for his predecessor, Benjamin Mkapa, to explain how the 40 billion/- radar now at the centre of heated debate inside and outside Tanzania was purchased.
He said this in response to a question from Abubakar Hiza, a Tanzanian living here, who sought clarification on the ongoing probe into the radar that the government bought from the UK during the Mkapa presidency.
�What do you want (retired President Benjamin) Mkapa to explain.
I think there is no reason for him to do so because the issue is being investigated by the authorities concerned,� the President pointed out.
He said the investigation was being conducted by the British government through a special department following allegations of corruption said to involve the British firm BAE that sold the radar and the agent who transacted the system`s sale.
President Kikwete stated that his government felt obliged to cooperate with the British investigators in probing the role of BAE agent in Tanzania.
`Britain is not investigating my government. Rather, it is investigating its own company, BAE, to see whether there indeed was corruption in the whole transaction. All that we have done is to give them cooperation,` he explained.
He added that because the issue also partly involved Tanzania as a country, the government has taken the matter to Prevention of Corruption Bureau `in order for them to investigate and get to the truth of the matter and issue a report on the same`.
He reiterated his stand that if it is found that the price of the radar was inflated `we as the government will take the necessary measures`.
`We hope that the British government will release a report to us on what actually happened. We have involved our anti-corruption body because we are the ones who bought the radar,` he added.
The President clarified that it was not only the controversial sale of the radar to Tanzania that was being investigated `but the probe is also being carried out in other countries, including South Africa and Saudi Arabia, where the company was allegedly also involved in corruption`.
The government has said it would lodge claims against the British government if it is discovered that the price of the radar, purchased in 2001, was grossly inflated as reported.
BAE is a British government owned institution. Its agent who sold the air defence system to Tanzania for Sterling Pound 28m lives in Tanzania but has British citizenship.
Source: Guardian
