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Mbeya residents decry grand reception for graft suspect

Residents and leaders of different political parties in Mbeya Region have condemned the high-note receptions accorded to former Infrastucture minister Andrew Chenge by members of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in Mwanza and Shinyanga regions as an affront to President Jakaya Kikwete`s efforts to combat corruption.

The views were aired by the residents after watching televised programmes by a number of stations of the grand receptions accorded to the former minister. Chenge resigned last month over allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

In separate interviews here, most of them said the high-note reception granted to Chenge in which both low and high cadres of CCM were involved in the two regions was a humiliation to the ruling party's leaders who are dedicated in the fight against corruption and in exposing culprits in its rank and file.

They unreservedly blasted the current habit in which leaders suspected of corruption and abuse of office retreated to their constituencies ``to manipulate their electorate, most of whom are not very conversant with what is happening beyond their localities.``

``CCM members have to wake up and realize that the people they so much hold high in esteem are actually stabbing them behind their backs. Otherwise they will end up cheering people who are prospering through their sweat,`` said a resident, who identified himself by only one name of Mwambalaswa.

A member of the opposition party, who identified himself by a single name as Marshall, said it was absurd that people should give such grand receptions to suspects of corruption. Also a member of the Civic United Front (CUF) party, Augustino Amani, said the government had to tell the people now what measures it would take against such suspects once proved to have been involved in the vice.

``The government has to tell us now on the measures it will take to punish all those implicated in amassing wealth and using their office for individual gain,`` he said.

Amani said without doing so now, the public was likely to lose confidence in the government. He added that the government should bring down the rocketing prices of a number of domestic items and services which shot up as a result of corrupt machinations perpertrated by those in power.

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