PRESIDENT John Magufuli has ordered an immediate removal of civilians from the police force

Dr Magufuli demanded from Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ernest Mangu a list of all civilian employees in the force, promising to transfer them to his office, Public Service and Good Governance, for reassignment. President Magufuli’s directive exclusively targeted the police force although civilians work with the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) and Tanzania Prisons Services (TPS).

He decried the disappearance of between 20 and 60bn/- that was meant to purchase uniforms for the law enforcers but none of the item had been delivered.

The Head of State issued the instructions in Dar es Salaam at a State House event where 58 police officers made the integrity pledge for public leaders. The commissioned officers were recently promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

“There are some dishonest civilian workers in the police force who tarnish your image...I think it is high time all these civilians are transferred. “I am not sure how many civilians you have in the force but I believe there are enough police officers with the required professions to perform the duties done by those civilians,” Dr Magufuli stated.

He referred to the recently suspended Chief Accountant of the Police Force, Mr Frank Msaki, who has been alleged to have swindled over 300m/- that was paid as ration allowance to ghost police officers. “I have been told that the accountant was a civilian but he was very powerful in the police circles.

I wonder why you (the police) failed to arrest him and yet he was working amongst you. Why is it possible to arrest other people and fail to take actions against an official working with you,” wondered the President.

He added; “I understand the police force has qualified accountants, engineers and administrators who can be assigned to work in areas where civilians are now serving.” In regard to the billions of money deceived in the purchase of police uniforms, Dr Magufuli said it was high time investigations were conducted and perpetrators brought to book. “There are information going around that some suppliers were paid billions of money within one week towards the end of last year to supply the uniforms but nothing has been delivered so far. There are varying reports on the amount involved...some say it’s 20bn/- while others say it’s between 40bn/- and 60bn/-,” he observed.

Dr Magufuli said it is off-putting to learn that billions were paid for the sham tender and yet the police force has failed to pay just 2bn/- to clear its 77 vehicles stranded at the Dar es Salaam port. In another development, Dr Magufuli pledged increased salaries for members of the armed forces following the move by the government to abolish tax exemptions on duty free shops starting this financial year.

“There were some people who were abusing the exemptions... we have decided to scrap the waiver and instead, we will increase salaries to enable members of the armed forces to purchase on their own choice at the market prices,” he stated.

Dr Magufuli urged the newly promoted police officers to deal with ghost workers in their areas of work. On Friday last week, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Judge Major General Project Rwegasira, suspended four officials of Police Force for allegedly making fraud payments to ghost workers.

The suspended officials include Damian Aloys Bupamba, an Accountant Level II, Ida Dennis Moyo, an Accountant Level I and Assistant Auditor of Police Force, Milambo Mwita Milambo. The PS said the two accountants (Bupamba and Moyo) were suspended for involvement in fraud ration allowance to ghost workers in between 2013/2014 to 2015/16 financial years.