Where did the money for Steven Millambo's library project go?

As members of Afconet in Dar es Salaam will know, Steven Millambo of Youth Life Relief Foundation proposed an exciting idea early in 2008 for a network of 'microlibraries', in which each of the approximately 30 organizations in the network would have a shelf of books that could be useful to schoolchildren they are working with.

On 24 May 2008, our foundation authorized a payment of 3,405,000 Tanzanian shillings for this project. Accounts received from Shabani Madega, the treasurer of the network, show that this money was paid on 4 June 2008 by cheque number 193093 to Youth Life Relief Foundation, and that the cheque was given to Steven Millambo.

On 18 December 2008, Hatibu Kunga, chair of Youth Life Relief Foundation, sent an email saying:

One time you had instructed Afconet to give us some mone for our Library Project. Unfortunetely Milambo and his fellows denied us that opportunute.

This seems to suggest that the money for the library project was not, in fact, received by YLRF.

We would like to have this clarified by the network officers, Jacka Mwambi, Shabani Madega, and Steven Millambo.

Postscript: on 23 December 2008, Hatibu Kunga sent the following email:

Hi Tim

It is a wonderful information to hear from you now that Afconet had disbursed funds to YLRF for Library Project. Infact, despite of your insructions and YLRF followups to the said Afconet Officers at last we were not given the money. All the time we were tald that, you Tim you have no mandate to instruct them to disburse funds which is Afconet account.

It is beyond resoanable doubt from your information [that the money has been stolen]. This is a criminal offense which we need to take a drustic mesuares as a lesson...

In this regard I would like and suggest that you send us YLRF financial transctions sent to you by Mr Shaban Madega showing that YLRF was disbursed the said amount. This information will work as an evidence even in the Court of Law. Please send us a hard copy through YLRF mail box 10889 Dar es Salaam.

 

Thanks for your continued coopertion.

 

Regars,

 

Hatibu