House reps query government decision to appoint...

Zanzibar House of Representatives here, yesterday queried the government decision to form a commission to probe on the alleged rice import scandal without involving legislators.

MPs` concerns come after the government probe team implicated one businessman and two government officials in the importation of rice, widely condemned to be unfit for human consumption.

The Minister of State in the Chief Minister Office, Machuno Othman, unveiled investigation report in the house recently but some legislators have begun to question the rationale behind the government decision to commission investigation without involving legislators.

The legislator for Muyuni (CCM), Ramadhan Nyonje Pandu said:`It`s surprising to see that the investigation commission did not consult any member of the House committee.`

`The government had made positive decision but we feel they should have involved a least one member from the House,` he said.

The six-man investigation commission members came from police and national intelligence unit, according to the MP.
The legislators are furious because the idea of forming the investigation commission came out of past and traditional house debates.

They questioned the bizarre government`s decision to secretly set up the commission to investigate controversial rice import, which had recently attracted public and legislators debates.

The MP for Kwahani (CCM), Ali Suleiman Ali, asked what actions the government took to halt importation of unfit products for people`s consumption.

The Opposition legislator, Haji Faki (Mkanyageni, CUF), criticized the government investigative report findings because it announced measures against officials implicated in the scandal, but remained mum on the businessman who imported the consignment.

`The government needs to take action against the businessman. In any case, the government blocked opposition MPs to participate in the investigation,` said the legislator.

Responding to legislators` queries, the Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, said the government involved security and intelligence organs only because they were the ones with investigative expertise and skills.

`In most cases, such organs are not mixed with ordinary people in the investigation of sensitive issues. I am personally ready to accept additional evidence from anybody on the issue and work on it for the benefit of Zanzibaris,` he said.

The government probe commission implicated one prominent businessman, Said Nassir Bopar, for allegedly importing 2,900 tones of rice alleged to be unfit for consumption from Pakistan; and two government officials for unlawfully clearing the consignment at the port.