Registrar of Political Parties, Judge Francis Mutungi
THE Registrar of Political Parties, Judge Francis Mutungi, has strongly condemned the statement by Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) issued on Wednesday, saying it was against the law governing political parties and intended to instigate civil disorder.
Justice Mutungi said in a statement
issued in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the Political Parties Act Number
Five of 1992 Section 9 restricts political parties from prompting the
use of excessive power or chaos to attain its political objectives. Mr
Mutungi added that the law also forbids party leaders from using abusive
or seditious language, which may lead to a breach of the peace.
“This is not the first time for CHADEMA
to use such abusive language...I call upon the party leaders to refrain
from such practice and abide by the law,” Justice Mutungi said.
Justice Mutungi explained that the law
governing political parties provide for procedures to be observed by any
political party in communicating with public institutions, hence the
need for them to respect the law.
He called upon the parties to exercise
political tolerance to promote democracy in the country. On Wednesday,
CHADEMA announced its intention to hold rallies to denounce what the
party termed as violation of principles of good governance by the
government.
Despite the previous ban, National
CHADEMA Chairman Freeman Mbowe told a press conference in Dar es Salaam
yesterday that they were prepared for the event. He said his party has
started internal meetings to discuss the state of politics in the
country ahead of the planned rallies.
“The party’s lawyers will also meet to
review events that have occurred so far to enable them take possible
legal action against the government,” he said. The police force has
issued a stop order for any rally in the country by banning all meetings
by political parties, warning that whoever would be caught defying the
directive would be squarely dealt with.
Meanwhile, CCM yesterday strongly
faulted opposition CHADEMA’s move to launch a countrywide operation in
protest of President John Magufuli’s leadership.
The opposition party on Wednesday
declared that starting next September, they will conduct a campaign
against what they termed as ‘dictatorship’ under Magufuli’s government
-- even if the police would not grant permission.
In a statement yesterday, the ruling
party censured CHADEMA for its “lack of agenda’’ since Dr Magufuli came
to power, as they have been keen to perpetuate lies.”
CCM Spokesperson Christopher Ole Sendeka
said the reasons flouted by CHADEMA were baseless since the government
did not ban political rallies as it was claimed while Dr Magufuli’s did
not have any elements of dictatorship.
“What exactly kind of dictatorship they
are talking about? Is this because the Magufuli’s government is taking
stringent measures against tax evaders or because of sacking corrupt
officials?” asked Mr Ole Sendeka. He added that CCM believed that many
Tanzanians supported efforts by President Magufuli.
“And if for Chadema this is
dictatorship, it is no wonder that they are part of the rotten system.
This is why they are defending such system,” he remarked. He described
the planned intended CHADEMA’s countrywide rallies in protest of Dr
Magufuli’s leadership style as plan to cause chaos in the country.
“During such demos, it is poor
supporters who die or get injured; why not leaders or their close
relatives party?” he questioned. He appealed to Tanzanians not to take
part in the rallies during CHADEMA’s protests in September. Such
operations had already caused deaths in the past.
Mr Ole Sendeka pointed out that such
action had no positive impact among Tanzanians in the past other than
giving CHADEMA cheap popularity.
CCM has called on the police not to
hesitate taking right measures against those who will go against the
law, arguing that development has never been brought by chaos, but
through working hard and maintaining peace in the country.
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