Opposition MPs walk-out strongly condemned

SUNDAY NEWS Reporter

PROTESTS by most opposition legislators at the inauguration of the 11th Parliament in Dodoma on Friday has been widely condemned. The MPs booed and wildly shouted upon the arrival of Zanzibar President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein and some top Isles government officials in the National Assembly chamber.

National Assembly Speaker, Mr Job Ndugai, attempted in vain to call the House to order, but the opposition MPs continued shouting and disrupting the proceedings, forcing him to kick them out. “Go out ..go out now,” the Speaker ordered the defiant MPs out of the chamber.

CCM officials in Zanzibar strongly condemned the booing and shouting by the MPs forming UKAWA, saying the move threatened continuity of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

“It was an act of indiscipline towards our national leaders and other invited guests, the habit must be condemned in strongest possible terms,” said Ms Waride Jabu, CCM Publicity Secretary in a statement. She said that the GNU formed by former President Amani Karume and Civic United Front (CUF) leader was aimed at strengthening national unity.

Ms Jabu said that CCM was saddened by UKAWA’s move that sought the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) to announce the CUF presidential candidate, Mr Seif Sharif Hamad the winner in the polls.

“I appeal to members of CCM and other people in Zanzibar to wait for ZEC to announce the timetable for fresh elections,” Ms Jabu said. Mr Freeman Mbowe (CHADEMA), who is the leader of the official opposition in the House, however, defended the action, saying that the MPs were expressing resentment over the presence of Dr Shein whose presidential term ended on November 5, this year.

“It is not proper for some persons to criticise UKAWA members for action taken. We (MPs) pressed for redress of the matter well in advance to avoid confusion but no appropriate measures were taken. “The election held in Zanzibar was free and fair as attested by local and international election observers, yet ZEC annulled the polls.”

Ms Zulfa Shawejji (34), who is a lawyer working with a private legal firm in Dar es Salaam said such commotion with subsequent walk-out from the House by legislators was common in other parts of the world.

“Truly, minority in the parliament have the right to walk out as the way of protest. However, diplomatic approach such as seeking court redress is more meaningful than shouting which at the end brings no resolves,” she observed.

Mr Zitto Kabwe (Kigoma Urban ACT-Wazalendo) said the wak-out by the opposition legislators was not an act of indiscipline but rather a way of expressing their feelings. “It is not strange for the opposition to make voice or walk-out in the debating chamber as democracy allows it. But mutual understanding when it comes to issues of national interest must be a priority,” Mr Zitto, the only opposition MP who remained in the chamber, explained.