The Mtwara Regional Commissioner, Col Patrick Sawala, has been instructed to arrest and question officials responsible for supervising the construction of Makondeni Vocational Secondary School in Tandahimba District, following allegations of gross mismanagement of the project.
The directive was issued by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government – PMO-RALG) responsible for Education, Mr Reuben Kwagilwa, on behalf of the Minister of State in the same office, Prof Riziki Shemdoe, after an on-site inspection revealed serious shortcomings.
Mr Kwagilwa said more than TZS464 million in public funds had already been spent on the project, yet the school remains incomplete and now requires an additional TZS48 million to be finalised.
He described the situation as a clear breach of government guidelines and a strong indication of negligence, raising concerns over the possible loss of public money.
“I direct the Regional Commissioner to strictly follow legal procedures and use the powers of his office to arrest and question all those involved in supervising this project over allegations surrounding the loss of Sh48 million,” Mr Kwagilwa said.
He stressed that the government would not tolerate poor supervision or misuse of public resources, particularly in projects aimed at strengthening the education sector and expanding access to skills-based learning.
In response to the identified gaps in oversight, the Deputy Minister also instructed the Permanent Secretary in PMO-RALG to ensure that a Head of the Construction Department is posted to the concerned council within 21 days.
The measure is intended to strengthen technical supervision and improve efficiency in the implementation of development projects.
The Makondeni Vocational Secondary School is part of the government’s wider programme to promote technical and vocational education at secondary level, with the objective of equipping young people with practical skills for employment and self-reliance.