Tanzania president orders water supply cut to govt, big companies owing bills

John Pombe Magufuli, the Tanzanian president has given express directives to the country’s water supplier that they should chase bills especially from government institutions and other big companies.

He ordered that supply be cut to all state institutions that continued to default in payment of their bills stressing that if they could not be charges why was the ordinary citizen being targeted.

“If you can’t charge those big companies, how is it possible that you come after these poor ordinary citizens?” he asked.

The state-owned publication Habari Leo reported that the President was speaking at the launch of a mega water project on Wednesday (June 21) in a coastal area.

The no-nonsense leader nicknamed the bulldozer told government officials present that inability to settle their bills was a sign of failure on their part. He has in the past sacked top government officials who are believed to have misconducted themselves.

The decision in January by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) to hike tariffs by 8.53% resulted in the firing of the company’s boss, Felchesmi Mramba, by Magufuli. He recently fired the mines minister over loss of revenue in the sector.

Since coming into office in 2015, Magufuli has sacked dozens of public officials as part of an anti-corruption campaign and a new drive to root out government inefficiency. He took over from Jakaya Kikwete whose constitutional mandate ended after two terms (2005 – 2015).