The residents of Senga village in Geita district, Geita region, have appealed to the authorities to resolve a leadership crisis facing villages in the ward which has led to the closure of the village office for more than ten months owing to embezzlement of funds and theft of property.
Speaking on different occasions, the residents said they failed to access administrative services because the office remained closed.
They said they were forced to seek the services from the ward office.
They were speaking to The Guardian this week at meeting with officers from a non-governmental organization, Tadabui Health Access Tanzania (THAT/ Afya Radio) based in Mwanza.
The organization implements a project on accountability and integrity in the health sector in Nyamagana and Ilemela districts in the region.
“Sometimes we fail to perform our duties because of the lack of a rubber stamp. We are forced to seek support from the ward executive’s office because the village leaders do not have rubber stamps,” explained John Kulwa, a Senga village resident.
The village office was closed last February after the village chairman and the executive officer were accused of embezzlement of funds, loss of property and failure to account for the village’s revenue for two consecutive years.
The move has not only affected the execution of villagers’ private issues but also the development of their community.
“As of now, we do not have a village leadership, so it is hard for our village to excel. We have lost trust in our leaders because they have failed to supervise development projects effectively and efficiently,” said Kulwa.
Kulwa said they were not sure of the future of projects in their community, including collection of revenue from the village market as well as an abattoir. However, Joseph Makuni, who was the former chairman, was re-elected to the post recently.
According to the villagers, missing property includes 50 galvanised iron sheets and 58 bags of cement; while misappropriated money was market cess amounting to Sh480,000 collected in a month. A council member who sought anonymity said Senga Ward Executive Officer Ali Kidakwa went to the village for the purpose of opening the village office, but the villagers protested, telling the leaders to bring back the village property and funds first before they were allowed in.
In a bid to resolve the situation, members of the village council contributed Tsh20,000 and gave one of the village elders who went to see the Geita District Executive Director to help end the standoff.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN