mwanakijiji
03-31-2009, 04:50 PM
Africa Intelligence
The condemnation at the beginning of March to three and a half years in prison of the former First Lady of Zambia, Regina Chiluba, for embezzling funds while her husband was President, could have a spill over effect in Tanzania. In any case, critics there of the rule of former President Benjamin Mkapa are beginning to turn their attention to his wife, Anna.
She could well be the weak link in the presidential couple. To be sure, bringing Benjamin Mkapa to trial to face accusations of embezzlement of public funds would necessitate a change in the constitution to lift his immunity. His wife, on the other hand, does not have the benefit of such immunity.
The first person to accuse her was Simon Mbilinyi, who had been Minister of Finance while Mkapa was President. In his view, Anna Mkapa should be held responsible for certain misappropriations of funds far more than her husband. One of the examples brought to the fore by the First Lady?s accusers concerns the Equal Opportunity Trust Fund (EOTF) which was registered in her name although she was using the presidential funds and premises to exercise its activity.
This enabled her to obtain gifts for the EOTF from public and private, local and foreign entities which were therefore given the impression they were coming to the support of State House services. Instead, they were helping the First Lady in her private capacity.
The EOTF has since disappeared, but this kind of practice has attracted suspicion on the Association for Women?s Development (WAMA) which was created by the present First Lady, Salma Kikwete.
The condemnation at the beginning of March to three and a half years in prison of the former First Lady of Zambia, Regina Chiluba, for embezzling funds while her husband was President, could have a spill over effect in Tanzania. In any case, critics there of the rule of former President Benjamin Mkapa are beginning to turn their attention to his wife, Anna.
She could well be the weak link in the presidential couple. To be sure, bringing Benjamin Mkapa to trial to face accusations of embezzlement of public funds would necessitate a change in the constitution to lift his immunity. His wife, on the other hand, does not have the benefit of such immunity.
The first person to accuse her was Simon Mbilinyi, who had been Minister of Finance while Mkapa was President. In his view, Anna Mkapa should be held responsible for certain misappropriations of funds far more than her husband. One of the examples brought to the fore by the First Lady?s accusers concerns the Equal Opportunity Trust Fund (EOTF) which was registered in her name although she was using the presidential funds and premises to exercise its activity.
This enabled her to obtain gifts for the EOTF from public and private, local and foreign entities which were therefore given the impression they were coming to the support of State House services. Instead, they were helping the First Lady in her private capacity.
The EOTF has since disappeared, but this kind of practice has attracted suspicion on the Association for Women?s Development (WAMA) which was created by the present First Lady, Salma Kikwete.