CUF: Our support for Lowassa won’t change

Seif Sharif Hamad -Secretary-general of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) party and first vice president of Zanzibar 

In Summary

The First Vice President of Zanzibar assured CUF supporters that his party would not withdraw its support for Mr Lowassa’s march to Ikulu

By Syriacus Buguzi The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. The dust has barely settled at the Civic United Front (CUF) after its national chairman resigned, but the party’s Secretary General is already on a “war” footing. Mr Seif Sharif Hamad has declared that his party will not back down on the opposition coalition’s campaign to ensure Mr Edward Lowassa wins the presidency in the much-anticipated October election.

The First Vice President of Zanzibar assured CUF supporters yesterday in Dar es Salaam that his party would not withdraw its support for Mr Lowassa’s march to State House following the resignation of CUF’s longest-serving chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba.

Prof Lipumba said on Thursday that he was resigning as chairman of CUF because he believed that some Ukawa co-founders had gone against the principles of establishing the coalition.

Prof Lipumba is also objecting to the decision to nominate Mr Edward Lowassa as the coalition’s flag bearer. He argues that, as a former CCM member, he knows that the former premier was against the people-centred constitution that the Judge Warioba-led commission proposed.

But Mr Hamad hit right back the next day. Encouraged by a cheering crowd at the CUF headquarters in Buguruni, he said the party fully supported Ukawa’s move and the sole objective was now to win the October election.

Speaking at a rally, Mr Hamad maintained that CUF was in safe hands and Prof Lipumba’s surprise exit would not shake the opposition coalition, popularly known as Ukawa.

There was no way CUF would not support Mr Lowassa on the ticket of the main opposition party, Chadema, he said, when it was the surest strategy to win against the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in the coming election.

“He [Professor Lipumba] was one of the first people to clean Edward Lowassa and welcome him to Ukawa,” Mr Hamad said. “And he was the chairman of the founders of Ukawa.”

Mr Hamad reportedly flew back from Zanzibar at short notice in an effort to calm tensions that arose following claims that some forces under the command of “those wanting to cling to power” were behind Prof Lipumba’s exit in a strategy to divide the coalition.

Mr Hamad reassured CUF members that Ukawa was here to stay and that he and other party leaders were in control. The coalition would not break up, he said.

CUF acting director of information, publicity and public education, Ismail Jussa, admitted earlier that Prof Lipumba’s decision to quit would leave a big void in the party. But he then assured party members that CUF would emerge from this crisis even stronger.

According to Mr Jussa, CUF will move on as a political party and a partner in the opposition coalition--even though CUF was aware of dirty tricks by those in power to sabotage Ukawa.

The party Secretariat and Supreme Council will hold meetings tomorrow (Sunday) to review the way forward as it seeks to fill the vacancy created by the former party chairman’s exit. Some political analysts argue, though, Prof Lipumba’s move is probably the worst thing to have hit the opposition. Yet others believe the don’s action would not affect the party.

Speaking to The Citizen, Prof Gaudence Mpangala of Ruaha University College feared the worst for the opposition coalition in the absence of Prof Lipumba and Chadema Secretary General Willibrod Slaa.

Although claims of being sabotaged by the ruling party should not be ignored, the don said, such a move by a leader of Prof Lipumba’s calibre sends a negative message to those who support change. “The hope of a strong Opposition after the election was high, but I am afraid that might not be the case if the Opposition does not remain united,” said Prof Mpangala.

Mr Emmanuel Gideon, a political analyst based in Morogoro, said Prof Lipumba should have given realistic reasons for taking “such a drastic step”.

Since Prof Lipumba played a big role in inviting Mr Lowassa to the opposition and even addressed the Chadema executive committee, his current claim does not hold water, Mr Gideon said. “I don’t understand what is happening with our politicians,” he added. “It was the same Prof Lipumba who defended Mr Lowassa against corruption allegations during a press conference as he welcomed him during his speech at a ceremony to unveil the former prime minister as a Chadema member,” said Mr Gideon.