Sitta gives in to opposition pressure on forming team

Members of CA head for the Bunge for a meeting in Dodoma yesterday. PHOTO|SILVAN KIWALE 

By Bernard Lugongo, The Citizen Reporter

In Summary

Deputy Chairperson of the Katiba Assembly, Ms Samia Hassan Suluhu, yesterday announced that Mr Sitta has admitted that he had not carefully considered a good ratio of opposition parties’ representation in his first appointments.

Dodoma. The chairman of the Constituent Assembly (CA), Mr Samuel Sitta, has bowed to the objection raised against his recent appointment of five members to join the Katiba Steering Committee.

Deputy Chairperson of the Katiba Assembly, Ms Samia Hassan Suluhu, yesterday announced that Mr Sitta has admitted that he had not carefully considered a good ratio of opposition parties’ representation in his first appointments.

“Following advice from the members, the chairman pondered on his appointment and decided to revoke it,” Ms Suluhu told the assembly.

In the recent appointments, Mr Sitta appointed Prof Ibrahim Lipumba (CUF), Faharia Hamis Shomari (Special Seats-CCM), Marry Chatanda (Special Seats-CCM), Mr Amon Mpanju (201), and Hamid Abuu Juma (CCM).

But after changes, now Mr Sitta has appointed Mr Freeman Mbowe

(Chadema), Mr Abubakar Hamis Bakari (CUF), Fatma abdulhabib Ferej (CUF), Nakazael Lukio Tenga (201) and Amon Mpanju (201).

“On behalf of the chairman, I take this opportunity to congratulate these new members of the Steering Committee and wish them good representation in this committee,” Ms Suluhu said.

As yesterday’s session opened, Ms Suluhu called to the floor Mr Evod Mmanda, a member of the Standing Orders and Special Privileges Committee, to use the authority granted to him by Standing Order 85 so as to revoke rules 37 and 57 to allow an addition of more activities for the day in the schedule.

Immediately after taking to the floor, Mr Mmanda said he was revoking the rules so as to allow the inclusion of the swearing in of one member, Mr John Magufuli, and hearing of the decision on the appeal of John Mnyika.

Mr Mnyika on March 29, this year forwarded his appeal against Mr Sitta’s appointment arguing that it did not consider a good ratio of members of the Steering Committee basing on their groups and the two partners to the Union of Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.

Mr Mnyika noted that the Steering Committee was a very influential tool in the on-going CA meetings, unfortunately its composition was unfairly dominated by the ruling CCM.