Tanzania's PCCB dismisses reports on grilling former Dar RC Paul Makonda

The Tanzanian Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) yesterday dismissed circulating reports that it is grilling a former Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Mr Paul Makonda.

Reports that went viral on social media on Saturday said the former regional nawab is being questioned for his role in office, including involvement in incidents of murder, abductions and abuse of office.

“He is implicated with handing over a gang to Mr Sabaya (former Hai District Commissioner Lengai-Ole) that has been perpetrating incidents of murder and abductions,” reads in part one of the messages.

But, yesterday, the PCCB director-general, Salum Rashid Hamdun, said there was no authenticity on the social media reporting, suggesting that they should be ignored. “There is no truth on the issue,” said the new anti-corruption chief, who was on May 15, 2021, promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) from being Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) before his elevation to replace Brigadier General John Mbungo.

According to him, citizens should ignore social media reports that lack attribution of respective authorities, adding that there was no public figure or celebrity who is being held for investigations. Yesterday, efforts to reach Mr Makonda, who served as the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner since March 2016, proved futile until the press time.

His service as the regional commissioner ended in July, 2020 when he decided to turn into politics and in the CCM nomination race for the Kigamboni constituency parliamentary seat. During the primaries, he was defeated by the minister for Communications and Information Technology, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, who garnered 190 votes against 122 collected by the youthful politician.

Mr Makonda’s rise to the limelight began during the constitutional amendment referendum, where he was part of team members commissioned for preparation of a draft for a new constitution.

The fourth phase President Jakaya Kikwete, later appointed him the acting Kinondoni District Commissioner before being elevated by the departed President to become the regional commissioner. Last year, the US state department barred Mr Makonda from entering the country over what was referred to as “gross violations of human rights”.

A tweet by the then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made it clear that his ban came amidst concerns about the “deteriorating” state of human rights in Tanzania.

According to the announcement, his immediate family members were also barred from visiting the US, blaming President Magufuli’s leadership for crackdown on freedom of expression.