The Tegeta Escrow account scandal which shook the country late last year also affected Athletes Tanzania (AT) as the sporting organization failed to get sponsorship funds from Independent Power (Tanzania) Ltd during the confusion, it has been revealed.
In November last year in the National Assembly, the Public Accounts Committee then chaired by former Kigoma North MP Zitto Kabwe moved parliamentary resolutions on suspicions that about Sh321 billion was stolen from an Escrow account at the Bank of Tanzania.
Two cabinet ministers quit, the attorney general and a permanent secretary before the issue died down, and several top officials arraigned in court for receiving monies tied to that account.
In last year’s AT national championship, IPTL was among the sponsors of this year’s event, pledging Sh20 million in two installments.
In the first installment IPTL gave AT about Tsh10million waiting for another Sh10 million but before sending money to them the saga started and IPTL failed to send the remaining amount.
AT general secretary Suleiman Nyambui told reporters this week that up to now IPTL has not sent the remaining amount but he knows for sure that the reason was the now eclipsed controversy.
“As you know that was a serious issue to our country so they failed to send that amount. We have not communicated with them but that amount enabled us to run the tourneys in a difficult situation and with outstanding loans,” he said.
IPTL Information Officer, Sylvester Joseph, in an interview with this paper agreed that they have not sent the remaining amount to the athletics body.
IPTL realises that the amount is important to AT and they were assuring AT on their scheduled assistance in running the national championship event.
“You know when those things happened I was not here, but when you called me and gave that information I talked with the chairman, Harbinder Singh Sethi and asked him about it and he agreed.
“He told me that due to that issue our accounts were seized so we didn’t have control or access to funds but everything is clear so the second installment is in the pipeline,” he stated.
IPTL are doing what they can so that AT receive the scheduled amount as early as possible and they will keep on supporting sports in the country especially sports events that are not regarded by various stakeholders as priorities.
In November last year in the National Assembly, the Public Accounts Committee then chaired by former Kigoma North MP Zitto Kabwe moved parliamentary resolutions on suspicions that about Sh321 billion was stolen from an Escrow account at the Bank of Tanzania.
Two cabinet ministers quit, the attorney general and a permanent secretary before the issue died down, and several top officials arraigned in court for receiving monies tied to that account.
In last year’s AT national championship, IPTL was among the sponsors of this year’s event, pledging Sh20 million in two installments.
In the first installment IPTL gave AT about Tsh10million waiting for another Sh10 million but before sending money to them the saga started and IPTL failed to send the remaining amount.
AT general secretary Suleiman Nyambui told reporters this week that up to now IPTL has not sent the remaining amount but he knows for sure that the reason was the now eclipsed controversy.
“As you know that was a serious issue to our country so they failed to send that amount. We have not communicated with them but that amount enabled us to run the tourneys in a difficult situation and with outstanding loans,” he said.
IPTL Information Officer, Sylvester Joseph, in an interview with this paper agreed that they have not sent the remaining amount to the athletics body.
IPTL realises that the amount is important to AT and they were assuring AT on their scheduled assistance in running the national championship event.
“You know when those things happened I was not here, but when you called me and gave that information I talked with the chairman, Harbinder Singh Sethi and asked him about it and he agreed.
“He told me that due to that issue our accounts were seized so we didn’t have control or access to funds but everything is clear so the second installment is in the pipeline,” he stated.
IPTL are doing what they can so that AT receive the scheduled amount as early as possible and they will keep on supporting sports in the country especially sports events that are not regarded by various stakeholders as priorities.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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