Former Pan African Parliament speaker volunteers to broker Ukawa, CCM standoff

By Lucas Lukumbo

Getrude Mongella

Former Chairperson to the UN World Conference for Women dubbed ‘Beijing Conference’ Getrude Mongella has offered to be an intermediary in the protracted negotiations between members of the  Coalition of People’s Constitution (Ukawa) and the ruling CCM on constitution review process.

 

She told the conference of women leaders from various political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) convened by the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLdaf) in Dar es Salaam yesterday that such antagonistic relations in the constitutional review do not augur well for people wanting to make a constitution based on unity and harmony.

 

She said some members of the constitutional assembly have used it as a rare opportunity to ‘nurse their wounds.’

 

“Those who are using the assembly to nurse their wounds should go away and shame upon them,” she said.  

 

She said the main problem which has befallen the process is lack of acumen in managing the negotiation process.

 

For example, she said one way of forging ahead in the protracted negations is to make a provision to the effect that the most difficult parts which have no solution (at that particular moment) should be left aside and the CA proceed with the process and later come back to revisit the same.

 

“This is what is done in international negotiation platforms, and in fact that is what we did in Beijing during the international women conference and we succeeded,” Mongella who is former cabinet minister and Pan African Parliament Speaker said.

 

She said she was ready to help in getting the two parties back to the table and continue with the process, stating, “I would like to meet with the leadership of Uhawa and that of CCM. In the way I would also want to see the Speaker of the CA assembly, Samuel Sitta. “

 

She said the most difficult thing for conflicting parties is for them to accept that in order to reach a consensus either side must agree to lose some of their privileges for the good of all.

 

For his part, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam Dr Khoti Kamanga noted that it would be very difficult for the assembly to make a headway because it is composed mostly of politicians.

 

“What do you expect of the assembly when it is composed of all 257 members of the National assembly, and all 81 Members of Representatives and nine representatives from civic groups.  This means that more than two thirds of the CA is composed of politicians.

 

He said, as such, each one in the assembly will be forced to defend the interests of his party.

 

Meanwhile, with only few days left before the CA resumes meeting sessions in Dodoma, the Coalition of People’s Constitution (Ukawa) has said that they will later today disclose their stance on whether they will attend the meeting scheduled to kick off on August 5 or not.

 

Ukawa says they will make  the announcement after meeting up with political parties’ Registrar, Justice Francis Mutungi.

 

Ukawa’s statement comes just a day after the CA Chairman, Samuel Sita called all CA members to Dodoma this Sunday ahead of the CA meetings slated for August, 5.

Ukawa’s Chairperson, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba told newsmen in Dar es Salaam yesterday that their decision to return to the Assembly will be determined by the outcome of their discussions with the Registrar of political parties today.

 

“Our stance is still based on reasons that we have mentioned earlier, including the fact that some standing orders of the CA were amended in our absence,” he said.

 

However, Minister of State Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Co-ordination and Parliamentary Affairs), William Lukuvi told this paper on Wednesday that the CA standing orders which were amended in the absence of members of Ukawa observed the CA rules.

 

He insisted that all concerns raised by Ukawa can be addressed at the Assembly and not outside.

 

Prof Lipumba insisted that for Ukawa members to continue with the constitution making process, the political parties’ Registrar must come up with solution to their concerns.

 

“We will not return to the CA sessions unless we reach a consensus,” said Prof Lipumba, insisting that CA members should only debate on the Draft Constitution which was tabled in the august House by retired Judge, Joseph Warioba who was Chairman of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC).

 

Prof Lipumba advised that due to limited time, the CA debate should focus on the election law instead of Chapter One and Six of the constitution draft.                                              

For his part, James Mbatia who is also the national chairman of NCCR-Mageuzi said the debate on election law is crucial to ensure an independent election commission.

 

“We want the constitution making process to respect people’s views…an independent election commission will ensure fair and free elections,” said Mbatia. In mid April this year, Ukawa members marched out of the CA debating chamber, saying they couldn’t continue to participate in a process which they described to be ‘a recipe for disaster.”

 

The members walked out after Prof Lipumba made his presentation in the House, alleging that Lukuvi had misinformed the people when he attended anointment of a Methodist Bishop, Joseph Bundala in Dodoma.

 

Prof Lipumba claimed that Lukuvi told the congregation that if the three- government system is adopted, the Union government will not afford to pay salaries to army personnel something that could result into a coup. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN