Friday, 13 November 2009


Baraza la Mawaziri la Kikwete lagawanyika

Godfrey Dilunga

Novemba 11, 2009

Mawaziri kumi wataka watuhumiwa waadhibiwe

Wanane wanawatetea, waliosalia hawana msimamo

Sophia Simba asonywa na wenzake

BAADA ya Kamati inayoongozwa na Rais mstaafu Ali Hassan Mwinyi kuzungumza na wabunge wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi na kuibuka malumbano, kejeli na matusi kwenye mkutano huo, imebainika kuwa sasa mpasuko si tu miongoni mwa wabunge; bali umesogea hadi kwenye Baraza la Mawaziri na kugawa mawaziri hao.

Uchunguzi wa Raia Mwema, ukihusisha mazungumzo na baadhi ya wabunge na mawaziri, umebaini kuwa mpasuko katika baraza la mawaziri kwa kiasi fulani umechukua sura tofauti na ule wa wabunge wa CCM.

Katika Baraza la Mawaziri, hali ni tofauti. Siku kadhaa mara baada ya mkutano wa Mwinyi, Dodoma, wapo mawaziri walioanza kuwapuuza manaibu mawaziri wao, lakini pia wapo manaibu mawaziri walioanza kuwapuuza mawaziri wao, hali inayotajwa kuwa huenda ikasogea hadi kwa watendaji wa chini kwenye wizara na hatimaye kugawa watendaji wote.

Lakini pia katika mazungumzo hayo ya Raia Mwema, pia imebainika kuwa kuna baadhi ya wizara zenye mawaziri wanaofanana kimtazamo wakiwa kundi moja kwenye mpasuko huo; hali inayotajwa kuwa huenda ikazua mvutano kama watendaji wengine waandamizi wizarani watakuwa na misimamo pinzani.

Mpasuko huo chanzo chake kinatajwa kuwa kashfa ya Richmond, na hususan kuhusika kwa aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu, Edward Lowassa kwenye sakata hilo ambapo mawaziri na manaibu mawaziri wanaodaiwa kuwa karibu naye wameendelea kumtetea kwa siri na hadharani; huku wengine wakitafsiri hatua hiyo kuwa ni upuuzi na hata kuwaona wenzao wanaoendesha harakati hizo ni wapuuzi.

Mmoja wa mawaziri hao ni Sophia Simba, ambaye sasa si tu imedaiwa anatazamwa kwa jicho tofauti na baadhi ya mawaziri wenzake, lakini pia CCM imeanza kukana baadhi ya shutuma alizotoa kwa baadhi ya watu katika juhudi zake za kutetea watuhumiwa wa kashfa mbalimbali. Simba anadaiwa kueleza kuwa Mfanyabiashara Reginald Mengi, si mwanachama wa chama hicho.

Taarifa zaidi zinaeleza kuwa kati ya mawaziri 26 waliopo ukimwondoa Waziri Mkuu, 10 wamedaiwa kuwa na msimamo unaofanana na baadhi ya wabunge wapambanaji wa ufisadi wakiwa na msimamo watuhumiwa wa ufisadi waadhibiwe, wakati mawaziri wengine wanane wakiwa katika kundi la utetezi.

Mawaziri wanaodaiwa kuwa na msimamo wa kupinga ufisadi ukiwamo wa Richmond ni pamoja na Waziri wa Maendeleo ya Uvuvi, John Magufuli, Waziri wa Viwanda, Biashara na Masoko, Dk. Mary Nagu, Waziri wa Maji na Umwagiliaji, Profesa Mark Mwandosya na Waziri wa Nchi, Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu – Bunge, Philip Marmo.

Wengine ni Waziri wa Afya, Profesa David Mwakyusa ambaye anatajwa kuwa na msimamo wa chini chini, Waziri wa Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa, Celina Kombani, Waziri wa Afrika Mashariki, Diodorous Kamala na Waziri wa Maendeleo ya Jamii, Margaret Sitta.

Mawaziri wanaodaiwa kuwa msimamo wao haueleweki katika sakata la Richmond ni Waziri wa Ulinzi na Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa, dk. Hussein Mwinyi, Waziri wa Miundombinu, Dk. Shukuru Kawambwa, Waziri wa Katiba na Sheria, Mathias Chikawe na Waziri wa Kilimo, Stephen Wasira.

Hata hivyo, inaelezwa kuwa kundi la mawaziri wenye msimamo mkali wanaotaka hatua kuchukuliwa dhidi ya watuhumiwa, wengi wao wamekuwa na rekodi nzuri kiutendaji ikilinganishwa na wale watetezi wa watuhumiwa.

Baadhi ya wabunge waliozungumza na Raia Mwema wamedai kuwa mawaziri wengine wanane msimamo wao umeshindwa kubainika moja kwa moja kutokana na kuwapo katika kila kundi.

Katika mkutano uliopita wa Bunge, utekelezaji wa lala salama wa mazimio ya Bunge kuhusu Richmond ulipaswa kutolewa taarifa na serikali lakini haikuwa hivyo, bila kuelezwa sababu za wazi.

Uchunguzi huo wa muda mrefu wa Raia Mwema bungeni pia umebaini kuwa athari za makundi kwa kiasi fulani zimekuwa zikimgusa Waziri Mkuu, Mizengo Pinda, ambaye ndiye aliteuliwa na Rais baada ya Lowassa kujiuzulu.

Uchunguzi huo umebaini kuwa katika mkutano wa 16 wa Bunge na baadhi ya vikao vya mkutano wa 17 uliokwisha, hivi karibuni, wakati akitoa hoja au kujibu maswali ya papo kwa papo yenye utetezi wa Serikali ni sehemu ya mawaziri wachache tu wamekuwa wakimpongeza kwa kumpigia makofi na wengine wakibaki kuduwaa, wengine wakiwa katika mazungumzo yao.

Kutokana na hali hiyo, mmoja wa wabunge amedai kuwa wapo mawaziri wasiompa nafasi ya heshima na utiifu unaostahili Waziri Mkuu Pinda na kwamba, wameendelea kuwa watiifu zaidi kwa kundi lao kuliko kwa waziri mkuu.

Wizara ambazo zimejipambanua kuwa na waziri mwenye msimamo wa utetezi kwa Lowassa na watuhumiwa wengine ni Wizara ya Nchi, Ofisi ya Rais – Utawala Bora, inayoongozwa na Sophia Simba.

Wizara nyingine ambazo zimebainika kuwa na mawaziri wenye misimamo ya makundi ni pamoja na Wizara ya Kazi, Ajira na Maendeleo ya Vijana, inayoongozwa na Profesa Juma Kapuya, na Naibu wake Dk. Makongoro Mahanga.

Kapuya alitajwa na kundi mojawapo kwenye mpasuko huo kuwa ni kati ya watu wanaopaswa kuchukuliwa hatua akidaiwa kumtetea Lowassa kwa gharama za wanasiasa wengine akiwamo Spika wa Bunge, Samuel Sitta. Naibu wake, Makongoro naye pia alijipambunua kuwamo kwenye kundi la Lowassa, wakati wa mkutano wa Mwinyi.

Baadhi ya wabunge pia wanaitazama Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi kuwa inaongozwa na viongozi wenye mgongano wa makundi, japokuwa ikidaiwa kuwa Naibu Waziri Khamis Kagasheki, amejitahidi kwa muda mrefu kuficha hisia zake tofauti na Waziri wake, Lawrance Masha, anayedaiwa kuwa kundi la Lowassa.

Katika hatua nyingine, baadhi ya wabunge waliozungumza na Raia Mwema kutoka makundi yote wamebainisha matarajio yanayozidi kukinzana mara baada ya kukamilika kwa mkutano kati yao na Kamati ya Mwinyi.

Wakati upande mmoja ukiendelea kusisitiza kuwa watuhumiwa wenye nyadhifa katika chama hicho wang’olewe, wenzao wamekuwa na msimamo tofauti.

Hata hivyo, kundi la wabunge wanaotaka wenzao watuhumiwa watimuliwe ndilo linaonekena kuwa na nguvu zaidi hata mbele ya wananchi na taasisi nyeti zikiwamo za elimu ya juu nchini kama ambavyo imekuwa ikiandikwa na baadhi ya magazeti nchini.

Kwa upande mwingine, hali ya kuwapo kwa kile kinachoelezwa kuwa ni mvutano huenda ikaendelea. Kuwapo kwa dalili hizo kunatokana na kuendelea kukinzana kati ya Spika wa Bunge, Samuel Sitta na baadhi ya wanasiasa wa kundi linalomwandama, akiwamo Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru.

Kingunge katika mkutano uliopita wa NEC-CCM Dodoma aliripotiwa kutaka Spika Sitta ang’olewe kwa kuwa anaendesha Bunge vibaya kwa kuruhusu mijadala ya ufisadi na hivyo kuhatarisha chama na serikali na kuimarisha hoja yake kwa kusema ubaya wa Spika unathibitishwa na hatua yake ya kuandika kitabu kinachoitwa “Bunge lenye Meno” akishirikiana na wabunge wengine machachari, akiwamo Dk. Harrison Mwakyembe.

Inaelezwa kuwa Kingunge alirejea msimamo wake huo katika mkutano wa Mwinyi lakini akionyesha kukejeli msimamo huo, Spika wa Bunge wakati akizungumza bungeni muda mfupi kabla ya kuahirishwa kwa Bunge, alijigamba kuwa Bunge lake bado lina meno.

Sitta alitamka; “Ni Bunge lenye meno” wakati akielezea uamuzi wa kuwatuma wabunge kwenda eneo la Loliondo lenye mgogoro kati ya wananchi na mwekezaji, mgogoro ambao serikali kupitia Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii, Shamsha Mwangunga, iliwasilisha ripoti yake iliyotokana na kamati aliyounda kubaini kama kulikuwa na vitendo vya ukiukaji wa haki za binadamu.

Ripoti hiyo ya Mwangunga ilikataliwa na Bunge baada ya Waziri kueleza kuwa hapakuwa na haki za binadamu huku wananchi walioathirika wakieleza kuwa haki zao zilikiukwa, ikiwa ni pamoja na kuchomewa makazi na karaha nyingine zikiwamo za vitendo vya udhalilishaji wa wanawake.

Awali, kabla ya Spika kuingia bungeni kikao cha Bunge kilikuwa kikiongozwa na Mwenyekiti, Job Ndugai ambaye ni Mbunge wa Kongwa CCM, ambaye alionekana kutaka kuikubali ripoti hiyo ya Serikali kabla ya Mbunge wa Simanjiro, Christopher Ole Sendeka kusimama na kueleza Bunge kuwa kwa sehemu kubwa ripoti ya Waziri Mwangunga imejaa uongo na hivyo kuomba mwongozo wa Spika ili kutoa uamuzi utakaolinda maslahi ya wananchi.

Kutokana na uamuzi huo, Ndugai alikubali na kueleza kuwa atalifikisha suala hilo kwa Spika ambaye atatoa uamuzi na ilipofika kikao cha jioni siku hiyo, Spika akatoa msimamo kuwa atatuma timu ya wabunge kwenda Loliondo, hatua ambayo bila shaka mbele ya kina Kingunge itaendelea kumtafsiri Sitta kama kikwazo kwa mambo ya serikali kupita bila kujali yana maslahi ya wananchi au la.

Ripoti ya kamati ya Mwinyi inatarajiwa kuwasilishwa katika mkutano ujao wa NEC-CCM bila shaka baada ya kupitia mikononi mwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete, ambaye ni Mwenyekiti wa chama hicho.

Kwa muda mrefu kumekuwa na wito wa kutaka Katibu Mkuu wa CCM, Yusuf Makamba aenguliwe katika wadhifa huo kutokana na tuhuma mbalimbali zikiwamo za kuendelea siasa za makundi kwenye chama hicho. Kati ya matukio yanayomuhukumu Makamba ni kitendo chake cha kumlaani kada machachari wa CCM, Nape Nnauye, aliyejitokeza hadharani na kudai kuwa mkataba wa ujenzi katika jengo la Umoja wa Vijana wa CCM (UVCCM), Upanga Dar es Salaam ni wa wizi na unaonyonya jumuiya hiyo.

Katika shutuma zake hizo, Nape alitaka baadhi ya viongozi wa Baraza la Wadhamini wa UVCCM akiwamo Edward Lowassa, aliyewahi kuwa Waziri Mkuu na kujiuzulu kwa kashfa ya Richmond , awajibike. Makamba aliwatetea wadhamini hao akishirikiana na aliyekuwa Mwenyekiti wa UVCCM, Dk. Emmanuel Nchimbi.

Hata hivyo, suala hilo lilifikishwa kwenye NEC-CCM na uamuzi ulitolewa kuwa iundwe kamati kuchunguza na ikibidi kurekebisha mkataba huo. Kamati hiyo ilifanya marekebisho makubwa, uamuzi ambao kwa namna fulani unaathiri umakini wa Makamba katika utetezi wake kwa baadhi viongozi wanaodaiwa kuwamo katika kundi lake ndani ya CCM.

CHANZO: Raia Mwema

Tuesday, 10 November 2009


THE ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which has been in power for more than 30 years, is in imminent danger of formally splitting within the next few months as a direct result of the increasingly messy ideological battle now being fought within its ranks.

Well-placed sources within CCM itself have confirmed to THISDAY that a number of ruling party members of parliament, along with other senior CCM cadres, are contemplating leaving the ruling party altogether because of concerns over its direction in the fight against grand corruption.

”There is now a real danger that CCM will have become irreparably split by February 2010...and that is bound to precipitate a significant leadership exodus from the ruling party,” a senior CCM legislator told THISDAY in an interview.

The senior ruling party MP described the fierce accusations and counter-accusations traded at CCM’s parliamentary caucus meetings in Dodoma last week as part of an ”ideological battle within the party being fought in public.”

Various prominent CCM legislators and cadres have already told THISDAY separately that they would definitely consider leaving the party if the top leadership under the chairmanship of President Jakaya Kikwete does not seriously and conclusively address the grand corruption problem within the party sooner rather than later.

And the general public feeling is that they would be joined by scores more influential CCM cadres, in what might be the biggest bail-out from the party since its formation in 1977.

Although it remains unclear if the looming breakaway group would form its own political party or opt to join one of the existing opposition parties in the country, analysts say it would most certainly present the biggest test for CCM at the October 2010 general elections.

The late Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, is on record as predicting once upon a time that the real political opposition in Tanzania would emerge from within CCM itself.

It is now widely believed that following the general inconclusiveness of last weeks highly-charged CCM parliamentary caucus meetings in Dodoma held under the auspices of the ’Three Wise Men’ committee chaired by former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi, the future of the ruling party now rests firmly in the hands of its national chairman, incumbent President Kikwete.

The Mwinyi committee � also comprising ex-East African Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdulrahman Kinana and current CCM Vice Chairman Pius Msekwa � was formed to delve into the current serious rifts among ruling party MPs, and is now expected to submit its report to President Kikwete within the next few weeks, along with recommendations on how to go about restoring party unity in the face of the current crisis.

The president is then likely to discuss the Mwinyi committee report with members of the party’s top-tier central committee, before presenting it before the CCM national executive committee in December or January for final decision-making.

”The fate of our party now rests in the chairman’s (Kikwete’s) hands. What President Kikwete does after receiving the report from the Mwinyi committee will be crucial. Only he knows,” another senior CCM lawmaker told THISDAY.

Kishapu MP Fred Mpendazoe Tungu (CCM) is amongst those who have openly hinted at the growing potentiality of a formal split within the ruling party, asserting during last week’s parliamentary caucus meetings in Dodoma that CCM as a political party now needs to clearly state its position in the fight against grand corruption.

Another CCM insider told THISDAY on the sidelines of the caucus meetings: ”CCM has been hijacked by a network of corrupt politicians who appear determined to continue looting public funds. The day of reckoning has now come for our party, founded by Nyerere and (former Zanzibar president Abeid Amani) Karume as a party for the working class and peasant farmers - not for wealthy businessmen seeking ill-gotten wealth.”

According to reports from within the caucus meetings, the names of at least four prominent CCM legislators - Edward Lowassa, Rostam Aziz, Andrew Chenge, and Yusuf Makamba - were the focus of most of the deliberations.

Both Lowassa, the ex-prime minister, and Rostam have become heavily implicated in the now-infamous Richmond power generation scandal, leading to Lowassa�s resignation from the premiership in February last year. Ex-attorney general Chenge was also forced to resign from his subsequent ministerial position after being similarly heavily-linked to the military radar corruption investigation.

As for Makamba, the current CCM secretary general and MP by virtue of presidential nomination, he has been described by various members of the CCM parliamentary caucus as a close ally of the Lowassa-Rostam-Chenge group.

Parliamentary sources say these four individuals are seen as the main players in a network of politicians which has forged a particularly-powerful alliance within the ruling party over the past decade or so. Insiders say CCM legislators are now sharply divided in three distinct groups - those who support the Lowassa-Rostam-Chenge-Makamba alliance, those who oppose it, and those who are basically neutral.

SOURCE: ThisDay

THE SOONER THE BETTER!

Monday, 9 November 2009


She's married to one of the most powerful and charismatic men in the world, but Michelle Obama is adamant that when it comes to dating women should look beyond a potential partner's obvious attributes.

On dating, America's First Lady said: 'Cute's good. But cute only lasts for so long and then it's:

"Who are you as a person?"

'That's the advice I would give to women - don't look at the bankbook or the title. Look at the heart. Look at the soul.'

READ MORE

Sunday, 8 November 2009












David Haye slew the giant last night and became a colossus in the eyes of British sports fans.

In amazing scenes in Germany the 29-year-old Londoner gave a masterclass of boxing skill to snatch the WBA world heavyweight title away from Nikolai Valuev, the giant Russian whom the doubters thought would be too big for him.

Derided as a big mouth, Haye proved beyond doubt that in the ring he is a class act, making the lumbering 7ft 2in man from St Petersburg look like a clumsy novice as he danced his way to a points victory...READ MORE.

Saturday, 7 November 2009


SIKU moja baada ya mjadala wa Richmond kuahirishwa bungeni, baadhi ya wabunge wamesema serikali imechangia kuchelewesha suala hilo ili kukwepa fedheha na kuonya kwamba ujanja huo hautaisaidia.

Wakati wabunge wakitoa kauli hiyo, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), sasa wanajiandaa kuishtaki serikali kwa wananchi ili waihukumu kwa kuikumbatia Richmond.

Wabunge waliozungumza kwa nyakati tofauti na Mwananchi Jumapili jana, walisema licha ya kuendelea kuupiga kalenda mjadala, bado wanaisubiri ripoti ya Richmond kwa hamu na kwamba hawatalala mpaka kieleweke.

Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bunge ya Kudumu ya Nishati na Madini, William Shellukindo alisema hajui kilichotokea hata ripoti hiyo ikaahirishwa tena.

"Siku mbili za mwisho sikuwa bungeni, niko nyumbani nimefiwa na mtoto wangu¦, sijui kilichotokea mpaka waahirishe ripoti hiyo katika Bunge hili, alisema Shellukindo...ENDELEA KUSOMA HAPA

CHANZO: Mwananchi

SABABU NYINGINE YA KUINYIMA CCM KURA HAPO MWAKANI.ZIPO NYINGI LAKINI HII INASUKUMA HATA WALE WALIOKUNYWA MAJI YA BENDERA YA CCM.BUNGE LENYEWE HALINA MENO,MIKWARA MIIIINGI KABLA YA VIKAO (PENGINE KATIKA KUHALALISHA MARUPURUPU YAO MANONO) NA WANAHABARI WETU WANADAKIA KILELE HIZO TO AN EXTENT YA KUKUAMINISHA KUWA SAFARI HII WEZI WA RICHMOND HAW

Thursday, 5 November 2009


ONE OF OUR MAJOR DONORS,THE UNITED KINGDOM,WHOSE HIGH COMMISSIONER IS PICTURED ABOVE WHEN SHE WAS PRESENTING HER CREDENTIALS TO THE TANZANIAN PRESIDENT JAKAYA KIKWETE,IS IN A MISSION AS STIPULATED ON THE DFID'S WEBSITE...

DFID: Working to reduce poverty in Tanzania
In the past five years Tanzania has received $6 billion in aid. Of this, DFID has provided £500 million (approximately $900 million). DFID has provided Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) to the government of Tanzania since 2000.

Making aid effective...
CONTINUES


AND THIS IS HOW OUR DONOR,THE UNITED KINGDOM,SAVES MONEY,SOME OF WHICH IS GIVEN TO US AS AID..

MPs' expenses: more than £600,000 returned to taxpayer

More than a third of MPs have repaid money claimed on expenses, returning more than more than £600,000 to the taxpayer.

By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent
Published: 7:19PM BST 22 Oct 2009

The House of Commons Commission said that since The Daily Telegraph began revealing details of their claims in May, members have returned a total of £637,000.

In all, 260 MPs and former MPs have returned money. The figure
is expected to rise as some MPs have not yet complied with anindependent audit which has asked them to repay some claims...
CONTINUES
AND THIS IS HOW WE,THE AID RECEPIENT,MAKE OUR DONORS EFFORTS WORTH CONTINUING...


No compromise with PCCB - Sitta


THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Samwel Sitta, has asserted that no compromise has been reached with the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) over the controversial probe into parliamentarians’ expenses.

According to Sitta, the issue was not even part of the agenda during Tuesday’s much-hyped meeting between himself and PCCB director-general Dr Edward Hoseah in Dodoma, where the National Assembly is
currently in session.

It was just a brief meeting...we did not even discuss the matter,the Speaker told THISDAY when reached for comment yesterday.

Photographs of Sitta and Hoseah in talks at the Bunge office in Dodoma were splashed on the front pages of several local newspapers yesterday amid speculation that the two had managed to work out a mutually-acceptable way forward for the MPs’ expenses investigation.

But Speaker Sitta maintained yesterday that he still opposes arbitrary interrogation of MPs by PCCB officials in the course of investigating reports that some lawmakers have been receiving double payments of allowances for official tasks.

He said proper protocol and procedures need to be adhered to by the PCCB in its interactions with parliamentarians, who are representatives of the wider electorate in the National Assembly...
CONTINUES
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PENNY FROM OUR DONORS IS PUT INTO THE BEST USE......


MPs probe called off

By The Citizen Reporters

MPs had the last laugh yesterday, with the revelation that the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) will, after all, not press ahead with its investigation into the alleged fraudulent payment of double allowances to some of them. Impeccable sources in Dodoma told

The Citizen that the anti-corruption agency had stopped its controversial investigation, which had sparked off a war of words between the Legislature, the Executive and the PCCB's director general, Dr Edward Hoseah.

The sources privy to the discussions in the closed-door meeting on Tuesday between Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, National Assembly Speaker Samuel Sitta, and Dr Hoseah, confirmed that the parties had agreed to call off the investigation indefinitely. That, unfortunately, is the decision the meeting arrived at. Hoseah was not very happy with the development but there is nothing he could do....
CONTINUES
WELL,I THINK WHAT CAROL GRAHAM AND MICHAEL O'HANLON PROPOSE WOULD MAKE FOREIGN AID MORE EFFECTIVE THAN IT CURRENTLY IS.THEY SAY

Decades ago, donors saw aid as a transfer of resources from rich to poor countries. Today they see it more as a means of improving recipient countries - use of domestic resources. And though aid has had its successes in humanitarian relief and family planning, its record is mixed when it comes to promoting economic growth. Many nations in sub-Saharan Africa are poorer than when they began receiving aid. The solution is not to end foreign aid, but for donors to know when to say when, cutting off countries that fail to adopt sound economic policies and rewarding those that do....CONTINUES.
AMERICANS BAILING OUT TANZANIAN ECONOMY NAIVELY THINKING THAT IF IT WORKED IN WASHINGTON IT SURELY WOULD WORK IN BONGOLAND.

Tuesday, 3 November 2009



Caught on CCTV: The moment BBC presenter floors taunting yob with his karate expertise

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:25 PM on 03rd November 2009

This drunken yob got more than he bargained for when he picked a fight with a BBC presenter who used to be an international martial arts champion.

Reporter Paresh Patel had been followed for half an hour through Manchester city centre by two youths, who subjected him to a barrage of abuse as he attempted to set up a live broadcast.

The North West Tonight journalist had been preparing a report in Sackville Gardens, central Manchester, when a group of drunken louts began harassing him and his cameraman Steve Capstick.

Watch the video below


Lightning fast: BBC reporter Paresh Patel (circled right) punches a yob in the face after first being pursued and set upon

Held: Police arrive and arrest the thug who assaulted Patel
But what they didn't realise was that Mr Patel has a black belt in Karate, and when he was finally pushed too far the suited reporter lashed out in kung-fu style.

He floored one of the unsuspecting thugs with a kick to the groin followed by a lightning-quick punch in the face.

The dazed victim can then be seen in CCTV footage scrambling to his feet just as police arrive to arrest the man as Mr Patel, dubbed the 'BBC Bruiser', calmly walks away.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'The accused persistently followed the victim and told him not to call the police and a woman poured a pint over him at one point.

'The other two defendants continued to follow Mr Patel to Princes Street, where the victim was punched in the face and threatened with violence.

'One of them picked up a bit of street furniture and also threatened the victim - he tried to walk away but still he was followed by the suspects.

'Both had been drinking and appeared very drunk. But what they hadn't realised was that the victim was a black belt in karate.'


Pursued: Patel (right) is followed by two yobs as he walks through Manchester city centre

Mouthy: One of the yobs confronts Patel as he tries to mind his own business
Mr Patel can be seen in the footage punching one of them in the face before kneeing him in the groin after being attacked as he planned a live broadcast from the statue of Alan Turing in Sackville Gardens, following Gordon Brown's decision to grant the computer pioneer a posthumous apology.

Sean Brady, prosecuting, told Manchester Magistrates' Court that when Mr Patel phoned his studio, two of the group John Nugent, 22, and David McKenna, 27, thought he was ringing the police and started swearing threatening him.

At the sentencing of the pair, Judge David Hernandez said: 'He defended himself, he delivered a blow. I say good for Mr Patel.

'He had no reason to be subjected to that level of abuse and threat by you.'

The CPS spokesperson added: 'The defendants claimed that Mr Patel has threatened them and told had them not to "mess with him" because he was a "Thai boxer" and that he would "sort them out".

'They insisted they were just having a laugh. And that they only picked up the chair so that he could have a sit down.

'Even when they were shown the CCTV footage they came up with the same explanation.'


On set: BBC Reporter Paresh Patel stands outside 10 Downing Street before a broadcast
Nugent and McKenna, both from Manchester, admitted charges of affray and assaulting Mr Patel on September 11.

McKenna was giving a community order for 18 months with supervision and 14 hours unpaid work at Manchester Crown Court on October 22.

Nugent was also given an 18-month community order with supervision.

Jodie Anderson, 26, the female who threw the drink over Mr Patel, had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Patel and was given a suspended six-week prison sentence and ordered to pay him £50 compensation.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Patel said: 'I am shocked and upset by what has happened. I was trying to go about my business in a peaceful way.'

A spokesperson for the BBC said they were not commenting on the matter as it was a case for the courts.




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