MEDIA REACTION: Corruption in Tanzania

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 000582 FOR INR/MR, AF/PDPA KTHOMAS, AF/E JLIDDLE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KMDR KCRM KCOR TZ SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: Corruption in Tanzania REF: A. STATE 81854 B. DAR ES SALAAM 555 ¶1. The September 10, 2008, edition of two English language Tanzanian dailies "This Day" and "The Citizen" carried editorial commentaries positive of U.S. policy of denying safe haven to corrupt public officials and those private sector members who corrupt them. This follows a September 8 U.S. Mission press release on Presidential Proclamation 7750 (reftel A). A third editorial appearing in Swahili "Mwananchi" is ardently critical of the GOT's efforts--or lack thereof--to tackle corruption. ¶2. Excerpts follow: This Day writes "U.S. stand on corruption is praiseworthy. To honest Tanzanians such a stand is, indeed, welcome and it is long overdue because there are many corrupt officials in public and private sectors in our country. If the U.S. can commit itself to help our government to root out corruption, it is, therefore, the duty of our government to be seen by all right-thinking citizens to be fighting corruption relentlessly because the helping hand in this struggle is hefty." The Citizen writes "U.S. move laudable. The U.S. move should send a strong message to looters of the public coffers in Tanzania that they risk the same fate as the former warlords around the world who are now facing the consequences of their past. They include Liberia's Charles Taylor and Serbia's Radovan Karadzic, now facing war crimes trials in The Hague. And the message is that however long it takes, crime does not pay. We salute the Americans for not allowing their country to be used as a safe haven for 'kleptocrats' or their families, to enjoy billions of dollars they looted from Tanzania and other African countries. Swahili daily Mwananchi writes "There is no reason for the United States to lead the war against corruption in other countries, when these have their own governments and state organs, which if they properly work, such cases would not occur. Otherwise, the step taken by the U.S. is a sure sign that our government has failed to tackle corruption in the country. We are asking our government to correct the situation and establish mechanisms for tackling this vice, instead of waiting for the American President to sort things out, as if our country has no government that has full powers and is well respected." ¶3. Comment: There has been wide coverage of our statement (appearing on the front pages of six English and Swahili dailies with a total combined circulation of 154,800) to deny safe haven to corrupt individuals. Interest continues to grow as the general public clamors for those implicated in several major scandals to be held accountable (reftel B). Post will continue to underscore U.S. support for anti-corruption initiatives throughout Tanzania. GREEN