KILIMANJARO: THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Director General, Crispin Chalamila, has said that the government has strengthened the bureau’s operational capacity by providing dedicated office premises and reducing its reliance on rented facilities.
Speaking recently during the inauguration of PCCB’s administrative building in Hai District, Kilimanjaro Region, Mr Chalamila said the new facility would improve the working environment and enable staff to perform their duties more efficiently.
“As of June, this year, PCCB had a total of 145 offices across 28 regions, 111 districts and one special centre; of these, 81 are located in buildings owned by PCCB, spanning 24 regions, 56 districts and one special centre,” he said.
He added that the goal is to ensure that by June 30, 2027, TAKUKURU owns a total of 93 offices. He said: “We thank the government for its support due to the real fact that, having dedicated, independent offices significantly increase the efficiency of corruption related investigations by providing strict privacy and security necessary to handle sensitive cases”.
Furthermore, Chalamila commended the initiatives by some educational institutions to establish anti-corruption clubs in schools, noting that this would help cultivate a patriotic generation capable of ensuring the sustainability of anti-corruption efforts.
“I urge other educational institutions, particularly secondary and primary schools to introduce Anti-Corruption clubs; this will help in building a generation that opposes corruption, thereby equipping the government with future leaders who are patriotic and committed to the country’s development through the implementation of development projects faithfully”, he noted.
Presenting a report regarding the Hai District office, the Kilimanjaro Regional PCCB Head, Mussa Chaulo, stated that the bureau began carrying out its activities in the district in 2002.
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“Since then, the institution had been operating from rented premises; the opening of our own building is a significant milestone that will contribute to the efficiency of our officers’ operations”, he noted.
Mr Chaulo added that, when the anti-corruption bureau operates out of its own secure premises rather than renting private premises, it eliminates multiple operational vulnerabilities.
Earlier, the Acting Director of Estates at PCCB Headquarters, Frank Mkilanya, said that the project has cost over 405m/-, against the projected budget of more than 407m/- allocated for the undertaking.
“The figures clearly demonstrate that prudent financial management resulted of over 2m/- which was saved during the implementation of the project; beyond this saving, the project itself has also demonstrated value for money in its execution,” he noted.
For her part, the Hai District Commissioner, Rukia Zuberi, explained that the completion of the project is vital for the district, as it will help to ensure that, the institution effectively oversees development projects being implemented in the area, thereby guaranteeing the proper use of development funds allocated by the central government.