Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu on Sunday, April 9, dissolved the entire Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) board after a 2021/22 report of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) revealed massive discrepancies in the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway.
The report also indicated that the board secured the tenders of the highest bidders as opposed to a rational figure.
In addition, the report also indicated that the board rejected the tender to purchase the locomotive and passenger coaches from the lowest bidder at an offer of Ksh35 billion and instead made a non-competitive purchase of Ksh63 billion.
The firing elicited debate on social media after critics and pundits weighed in on the issue, with some wondering if President William Ruto would borrow a leaf.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, economist Vincent Kimosop noted that such a case could not be adopted as it was dealt with on a case-by-case analysis. He added that the two governments constituted of different policies which ought to be factored in the conversation.
"Here in Kenya, we push more for accountability so there is the Judicial system to factor in as well. (Another thing to consider is the) implications that happen in such circumstances in terms of how each government works," he noted.
His words were echoed by Prof. XN Iraki, an associate professor at the University of Nairobi faculty of business and management sciences, who detailed that such an act would be perceived as a political witch-hunt against the former regime.
"It is going to add fuel to the fire with the general conversation of claims of political witch-hunt."
"Let's not dig too much into history. As a country , we should solve the issues at hand which involves how the government will raise adequate revenue to get out of the crisis," he added.
Tanzania's SGR
The project, which cost an estimated Ksh271 billion, constitutes a 2,102 kilometre - making it the longest stretch of the modern railway line in Africa. It is projected to be completed by 2026.
Since its announcement, a concerns emerged over the control of East Africa's logistics corridor pitting Kenya's SGR against Tanzania.
Kenya's SGR project, which runs from Mombasa to Naivasha, was constructed in 2014 at a cost of Ksh628 billion with loans from Exim bank of China - making it the most expensive infrastructural project in the country.
