PRESS STATEMENT
a. In an outrageous cable reported by Wikileaks, the former US Ambassador to Tanzania, Michael Retzer is reported to have said in his cable reports that President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has accepted gifts from the owner of the Kempinski Hotel chain, who is a citizen of the United Emirates.
b. This is, according to Ambassador Retzer, from a conversation he had with the Manager and Publicity Director of the former Dar es Salaam-based Kilimanjaro-Kempinski Hotel, Miss Lisa Pile.
c. This cable is as untruthful as it is outrageous. It is full of lies and innuendoes seeking to tarnish the good image and name of the President. It is unfortunate and highly disappointing that an ambassador worth his name could engage in this kind of lazy gossip.
d. The Directorate of the Presidential Communications would like to deny these lies in the strongest terms possible as follows:
2. We would like to state categorically that there has never been a time when the President received gifts from Ali Albwardy. This is definitely an outrageous claim and if there is evidence to the contrary, we would like to challenge Mr. Albwardy to produce it for the public to satisfy itself that what he is claiming are mere lies.
3. That there has never been a time, ever, when His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, during his time as Foreign Minister or currently as President of the United Republic of Tanzania, was flown by anybody to London on a subsidized shopping expedition to buy five suits. All his travels to London or any other places in the world have been duty assignments paid for by the Government of Tanzania. The matter of him being flown to London for subsides shopping of five suites is outrageous.
4. That during his entire life, as Foreign Minister or as President, the President has never met in London nor travelled with Ali Albwardy to London on a shopping expedition.
5. That the President was not responsible for raising nor receiving campaign funds for CCM Party during the 2005 General Elections. He was simply the flag bearer of the Party. However, he is privy to information that Kempinski Kilimanjaro Hotel was never asked nor contributed a single cent towards CCM campaign. Therefore the allegations that Kempinski Kilimanjaro Hotel contributed one million (USD 1,000,000) toward CCM campaign are baseless and unfounded.
6. That the Government permission for possessing of the Kilimanjaro Hotel by Kempinski Hotels and the subsequent permission to Kempinski to build two new hotels - one on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater and another on the Serengeti plains overlooking the main animal migration routes were issued by the Third Phase Tanzania Government and not by Mr. Kikwete’s Administration.
7. However, President Kikwete declined to grant permission to Kempinski Hotels permission to build on the Ngorongoro Crater on the strength of environmental concerns. How come then that the President who has been offered so many favors such as suits and election money, took this principled position? This therefore testifies to the fact that, claims that the President has received favours are with malice intentions from his authors.
8. That it is a lie that Mr Kikwete has frequented Kilimanjaro Kempinski Hotel in his personal capacity. The records are very clear; the President has never, ever on his own visited that Hotel except on official duties or when he has escorted official state guests.
9. It is unfortunate that the distinguished Ambassador would believed and transmit such baseless lies and ear-says from a single source. The Office of the President takes strong exception to such behaviour which seeks to tarnish the name and person of the President.
END.
Imetolewa na:
Kurugenzi ya Mawasiliano ya Rais,
Ikulu,
Dar es Salaam.
04 Septemba, 2011
IKULU imekasirishwa na aliyekuwa balozi wa Marekani nchini Michael Retzer baada ya kutoa madai ya uwongo kwenye mtandao wa Wikileaks akimzushia Rais Jakaya Kikwete kupokea zawadi mbalimbali kutoka tajiri wa Falme za Kiarabu anayemiliki hoteli za Kempinski.
“Madai haya ni uwongo na upuuzi. Ni uwongo mtupu ambao una lengo la kuchafua jina la Rais. Tunasikitika kwa kuona jina la thamani la balozi linahusishwa na umbeya wa kijinga kiasi hiki,” ilisema taarifa ya kurugenzi ya mawasiliano ya Rais.
Kurugenzi hiyo ilikanusha kuwa hakuna wakati ambao Rais Kikwete alipokea zawadi zozote kutoka kwa tajiri huyo ajulikanaye kwa jina la Ali Albwardy.
“Haya ni madai ya kipuuzi na kama kuna ushahidi juu ya suala hilo tunamruhusu Albwardy kuutoa hadharani ili kuthibitisha madai yake hayo kuwa si ya uwongo.”
Taarifa hiyo pia ilifafanua kuwa hakuna wakati ambapo Jakaya Kikwete akiwa Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa au akiwa Rais aliwahi kufadhiliwa na mtu yeyote kwenda London kwa ajili ya kufanya manunuzi ya suti tano.
Aidha, ilifafanua kuwa Rais hakuwajibika kuchangisha ama kupokea fedha za kampeni za Chama Cha Mapinduzi kwa ajili ya uchaguzi wa mwaka 2005 kwani yeye alikuwa anapeperusha bendera ya chama.
“Hoteli ya Kempinski Kilimanjaro haikuwahi kuombwa wala kuchangia hata senti moja katika kampeni za CCM. Hivyo madai kuwa hoteli hiyo ilichangia dola za marekani milioni moja kwa CCM hazina msingi wowote,” ilisema taarifa hiyo.
Ikulu pia ilieleza kuwa kibali kilichotolewa na Serikali cha kuimilikisha kampuni ya Kempinski hoteli ya Kilimanjaro na kibali cha kujenga hoteli zingine mbili moja katika hifadhi za Ngorongoro na Serengeti vilitolewa na serikali ya awamu ya tatu na sio serikali ya Rais Kikwete.
Taarifa hiyo ilifafanua kuwa Rais Kikwete alikataa kutoa kibali cha kujenga hoteli katika eneo la Ngorongoro Crater kwa kampuni ya Kempinski kwa kuzingatia athari za mazingira.
“Inakuwaje kwa Rais ambaye amefadhiliwa kiasi kikubwa hivyo cha kununuliwa suti na kupewa fedha za kampeni achukue maamuzi ya namna hiyo? Hii inadhihirisha kuwa madai kuwa Rais alipokea misaada hayana ukweli wowote."ilisema taarifa hiyo.
MWISHO
[nukuu ya taarifa hii imepatikana via Lukwangule blog]
Source: http://www.wavuti.com/4/post/2011/09/ikulu-yakanusha-za-wikileaks-rais-kufadhiliwa-suti-ccm-kuchangiwa-fedha-na-kempinski.html#ixzz1X9RWVQni
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