422. In May 2012, in what many observers saw as signaling a forceful expression of zero-tolerance for corruption from the highest levels of leadership in the country, President Kikwete sacked senior cabinet ministers, some apparently for corrupt enrichment and others for poor handling of crises in their ministries. They were the: (i) Minister of Finance; (ii) Minister of Energy; (iii) Minister of Tourism; (iv) Minister of Transport; (v) Minister of Health; and (vi) Minister of Trade and Industry. [See Box 3.3]. Box 3.3: Tanzania’s President Kikwete sacks ministers amid corruption scandal Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete has sacked six ministers amid allegations of government corruption. President Jakaya Kikwete promised to get tough and hold ministers’ subordinates to account. The President has been under pressure to deal with the scandal following a report by a body overseeing public finances. The inspector of the government’s accounts noted the rampant misuse of funds in at least seven ministries. The ministers who have been dropped from cabinet all hold high-profile portfolios: finance, energy, tourism, trade, transport and health. ‘Taken to task’ In November, the ruling CCM party promised to implement anti-corruption measures, but there have been heated calls from the opposition for heads to roll. Announcing the cabinet reshuffle, President Kikwete said that accountability would be taken seriously and ministers’ subordinates and even executives working for state-owned companies would also be held responsible over any embezzlement. Sacked ministers The sacked ministers are: • Minister of finance; • Minister of energy and minerals; • Minister of tourism; • Minister of transport; • MiMinister of health; and, • Minister of industry and trade. Mr Kikwete was re-elected in 2010 for a final five-year term. His government has struggled to tackle corruption which has adversely hampered economic growth in Tanzania where the rate of inflation rate stands at 19 per cent. Last year, donor countries cut funding pledges to Tanzania after expressing concern about corruption and the slow pace of reforms Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-Africa-17957767, BBC News, 14 May 2012 423. Positive developments in the fight against corruption were also facilitated by important improvements in the institutional and legal framework of the Parliament. New parliamentary standing orders were introduced in 2007 which strengthened the powers of Parliament, encouraged more robust and independent-minded debate in Parliament and, thereby, enhanced its oversight powers and functions. Moreover public hearings were introduced and became a routine aspect of parliamentary committee work. In addition, Public Account Committee (PAC) reports are submitted for Parliamentary debate regularly and in good time. They are also made accessible to the public. The overall effect of these improvements was the emergence of strengthened bi-partisan public interest in the exercise of Parliamentary oversight powers and functions to ensure accountability and transparency in public life. This approach is evident from Parliament’s timely debate of the of the Controller and Auditor General reports, unlike previous practice where the backlog for such reports awaiting parliamentary scrutiny stretched back several years. 424. Similarly, the media plays an increasingly critical role in holding the government accountable and in drawing public attention to instances of grand corruption in public life. For example, the media reported on the Extended Payment Arrears scandal, involving fraudulent payment of an estimated Tshs. 133 billion from of 22 companies’ accounts in 2005 and 2006. As a result, the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania was sacked. Tanzania’s Media 96