Dar es Salaam: The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) is in the spotlight again, and for the wrong reason! The national anti-graft agency's reputation has taken a battering over its attempt to clear a senior official even before an investigation into his alleged impropriety is officially completed. The PCCB would perhaps not have been in such an uncomfortable position had the British Government not distanced itself from a statement it issued on Wednesday, absolving former Cabinet Andrew Chenge of any wrongdoing over the controversial purchase of a $40 billion radar.

The matter has been under investigation by the PCCB and by the UK's Serious Fraud Office. The SFO, tracing the trail of the alleged payouts by a UK arms dealer, got interested in $1 million found in the former minister's offshore account, which he insists had absolutely nothing to do with the radar deal.

Though BAE Systems is ready to plead guilty to evade formal court charges and compensate Tanzania, the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam says it would be premature to judge those implicated in the scandal.

What is really baffling to many, therefore, is the haste with which the PCCB had moved to clear the former minister. The agency has opened itself to further criticism by those who often accuse it doing the bidding of ruling party politicians.

The quick denial by the UK is a big body blow to the PCCB's reputation. There is now real danger that people may be tempted to believe that the few cases involving former powerful politicians and public officials might just have been a charade.

The onus is on the PCCB to prove that it, indeed, operates independently of political forces. It will have to do a lot to restore public trust in its work, considering that the same agency had initially given a clean bill of health to Richmond, the company involved in emergency power supply scandal of 1986.

The PCCB has no option but to demonstrate in word and deed its commitment to carrying out its full mandate, which is about fighting corruption.

* Editorial comment in The Citizen

Keywords: anti-corruption, civil service, governance, executive, Tanzania