Dar es Salaam:  President Jakaya Kikwete has allowed the National Governance and Corruption Survey report to be made public without passing through bureaucratic procedures, thus ending a tug of war over the publication of the document. The president's decision was confirmed yesterday by the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda at the official opening of the General Budget Support (GBS) meeting, which witnessed endorsement of over 840bn/- in support of 2011/12 budget.

"In fact, I talked to the President on this issue and he has agreed that the document be made public," said Pinda in the wake of concerns by civil societies and development partners over the government's dilly-dallying in publishing the report on the level of corruption in public institutions. Pinda said he had already instructed concerned government authorities to go ahead and publish the document.

The survey, which focused on public perception of corruption in public institutions, was conducted by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) in 2009. Government sources said PCCB had already submitted the survey report plus a number of recommendations to the government, but the latter has been delaying to make the report public. The delay has angered civil societies, academicians and development partners (donors) who were questioning the logic behind authorities' resistance in making the document public.

Reports said that some development partners were not happy with government reluctance to publish the report, considering widespread corruption allegations in public circles. Reports indicate that some development partners may reduce financial support for next year's budget if the government did not publish the document.

But the Prime Minister cleared the air yesterday, saying the document would be made public soon. Initially, he said, it was decided that the document should be submitted to the cabinet, for scrutiny by ministers before being published.

"However, I want to assure our development partners that the President has already instructed me to approve publication of the survey findings without passing through the cabinet," said the premier, whose statement was well received by the development partners here who have criticized the government for the slow pace in the fight against high-level corruption.

"So, the survey report will not go to the cabinet. It will be published, because the president had already given me permission to approve publication of the document without taking it to the cabinet," he added.

According to the premier, the President gave the green-light on the premise that the survey report is a public document and so it should be made available for public consumption.