Don’t expel your MPs, Ndugai advises Opposition parties

ALVAR MWAKYUSA in Dodoma

National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai

OPPOSITION parties have been cautioned against the tendency of suspending or expelling their members who serve as elected MPs as this would lead to spending taxpayer’s money on costly by-elections.

“It is very costly to conduct fresh elections when the MPs are expelled from their parties; it should be borne in mind that affected lawmakers are elected by voters, some of whom are not necessarily members of the respective parties,’’ National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai has said.

He added that there has been a trend by opposition parties to drive out sitting lawmakers. “I am the Speaker and thus guardian of all parliamentarians. Therefore, I find this unfair and disturbing,” Mr Ndugai, who doubles as MP for Kongwa (CCM) stated matter-of-factly.

Speaking on a point of order after the Question-and-Answer session here yesterday, he noted that it was very unfair for political parties to expel from their respective parties, members who also serve as MPs.

“These were elected by voters across the political divide. We all know how hard the election process is. You should exercise tolerance when dealing with such issues,” the Speaker remarked.

According to the country’s constitution, one can only be elected into a position of leadership through subscription to a political party. That person automatically loses the post when his/her membership is revoked.

The Speaker went on to counsel the parties to borrow a leaf from CCM, noting that the party has never revoked membership of its MPs, even when some of them ‘prove very stubborn.’ “You elected me into the position of a Speaker and it is my responsibility to defend you when you fall into trouble,” he remarked.

Even as Mr Ndugai did not mention any opposition party, he was apparently referring to Civic United Front (CUF), which recently announced to have slapped temporary suspension on a number of its members, including two MPs.

Through the National General Committee, the party expelled its former National Chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, and slapped a temporary suspension on Kaliua and Mtwara Urban lawmakers, Ms Magdalena Sakaya and Maftaha Nachuma, respectively.

However, even after the said suspension, the two legislators are still attending sessions of the ongoing House and available information indicates that CUF has not written to the Speaker to notify him on the suspension.

It is not the first time for the party to suspend its members. During the Tenth Parliament, CUF revoked membership of the then Wawi MP, Mr Hamad Rashid Mohammed, who immediately rushed to the High Court for an injunction against the decision, winning a stay and managing to complete his term.

It was the same case for CHADEMA, which expelled the then Kigoma North MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe, who secured a court injunction.

The legislator eventually decided to relinquish the position and joined another party, ACT-Wazalendo, where he was afterwards elected its leader. NCCR-Mageuzi on the other hand revoked the membership of former Kigoma South MP, Mr David Kafulila, but he later reconciled with the party before a case he had filed at the court was determined.