Parties answer Kikwete on Katiba

[BAK]

By The Citizen Reporter

Posted Sunday, October 6 2013 at 01:00

Dar es Salaam.
Opposition parties yesterday welcomed President Jakaya Kikwete’s invitation to hold talks to unlock the constitution review process stalemate.

Chadema, Civic United Front (CUF) and NCCR-Mageuzi representatives laid down tough conditions for meeting the President, who said on Friday that he was open to negotiations to protect the review process in the face of antagonism and squabbles among the rival forces.

They are demanding that the head of state declares in public that he will not sign into law the controversial Constitutional Review (Amendments) Bill 2013 as presented in Parliament and will return it to the House for fresh discussion instead.

The officials also want President Kikwete to meet other parties that have protested against the Bill before October 10 (Thursday this week)--the day the opposition intends to roll out joint demonstrations countrywide to drum up public support to reject the Bill. They raised their demands at a press conference hosted by members of a technical committee formed recently to plan the rallies to be led by top Chadema, CUF and NCCR-Mageuzi national leaders. The rallies are intended to galvanise supporters to reject the Bill or boycott the rest of the review altogether.

Those at yesterday’s press conference were Chadema MP for Ubungo John Mnyika, CUF’s Director for Elections and Publicity Abdul Kambaya and Faustine Sungura, who is the NCCR-Mageuzi secretary general.

The three declared at the press conference that their plans for countrywide demonstrations will proceed as directed by their national leaders. “We welcome the call for dialogue but President Kikwete should act fast and meet the opposition parties before October 10 and also make it clear to the public he will not be signing the amendment Bill,” said Mr Mnyika.

The MP said the President has left many questions pending, including their call that he returns the Bill to Parliament for fresh consideration. “We want to reiterate that plans to hold countywide protest rallies remain intact unless all the issues that led to the controversy are fully addressed,” said Mr Sungura.

The officials said the head of state’s speech was tactful, deliberately avoiding any commitment on critical issues such as composition of the constituent assembly which, in its current form, would mean domination by the ruling party MPs.

We have noted with satisfaction the acceptance to take back to Parliament the involvement of Zanzibar in the amendment Bill but the President avoided the fact that the government sneaked some issues into the Bill,” said Mr Kambaya.

The opposition also objected to the Bill on the grounds that some clauses give the President too much leeway on the appointment of members of the Constituent Assembly. They also want the life of the Constitution Review Commission extended to the day the new constitution is promulgated--which Mr Kikwete said could be reconsidered.

In another development, the opposition officials asked Mr Kikwete to take unspecified disciplinary action against cabinet ministers and CCM officials they accused of issuing “inflammatory and contradicting” positions on the review process. They singled out ministers Mathias Chikawe (Justice), William Lukuvi (Policy, Co-ordination and Parliament) and Sofia Simba (Community development).

“These ministers should take responsibility for cheating the President on the review process,” said the Ubungo MP. “They cannot be trusted to represent the public interest in this matter and we cannot engage with them.”

In his end of the month address to the nation on Friday, President Kikwete asked the opposition to drop their clamour for protest rallies. He said the issues raised could be resolved in Parliament but was non-committal on the prospects of returning the Bill to the House when it resumes in November.

“We passed through a similar situation in 2012, when the opposition and civil society successfully engaged the government after disagreement in Parliament over some clauses in the Constitution Amendment Act 2011,” said President Kikwete, who returned home early this week from a tour of the US and Canada. “Why, then, can’t we do the same now to avert unnecessary confrontations and wasted energy?”

The opposition protests against the Bill started in Parliament, where they moved a motion to stop debate on the Bill until the amendments they wanted were made. When the Chair ruled them out after a vote for continuation of the debates was cast, they stormed out of the debating chamber.

 

[BAK]

The ball is in Kikwete's court, let's wait and see his reaction.

 

[Ferds]

the ball has already been thrown back to the parliament man

 

[FaizaFoxy]

Hawana ujanja hao, hizo ni mbio za sakafuni.

 

[Amiliki]

Hawana ujanja hao, hizo ni mbio za sakafuni.

"MJANE MWEUSI", Upo?

 

[Mwanyonga]

Washagonga ukuta

Hawana ujanja hao, hizo ni mbio za sakafuni.

 

[Mwanyonga]

Hapa kazi ipo

By The Citizen Reporter

Posted Sunday, October 6 2013 at 01:00

Dar es Salaam.
Opposition parties yesterday welcomed President Jakaya Kikwete’s invitation to hold talks to unlock the constitution review process stalemate.

Chadema, Civic United Front (CUF) and NCCR-Mageuzi representatives laid down tough conditions for meeting the President, who said on Friday that he was open to negotiations to protect the review process in the face of antagonism and squabbles among the rival forces.

They are demanding that the head of state declares in public that he will not sign into law the controversial Constitutional Review (Amendments) Bill 2013 as presented in Parliament and will return it to the House for fresh discussion instead.

The officials also want President Kikwete to meet other parties that have protested against the Bill before October 10 (Thursday this week)--the day the opposition intends to roll out joint demonstrations countrywide to drum up public support to reject the Bill. They raised their demands at a press conference hosted by members of a technical committee formed recently to plan the rallies to be led by top Chadema, CUF and NCCR-Mageuzi national leaders. The rallies are intended to galvanise supporters to reject the Bill or boycott the rest of the review altogether.

Those at yesterday’s press conference were Chadema MP for Ubungo John Mnyika, CUF’s Director for Elections and Publicity Abdul Kambaya and Faustine Sungura, who is the NCCR-Mageuzi secretary general.

The three declared at the press conference that their plans for countrywide demonstrations will proceed as directed by their national leaders. “We welcome the call for dialogue but President Kikwete should act fast and meet the opposition parties before October 10 and also make it clear to the public he will not be signing the amendment Bill,” said Mr Mnyika.

The MP said the President has left many questions pending, including their call that he returns the Bill to Parliament for fresh consideration. “We want to reiterate that plans to hold countywide protest rallies remain intact unless all the issues that led to the controversy are fully addressed,” said Mr Sungura.

The officials said the head of state’s speech was tactful, deliberately avoiding any commitment on critical issues such as composition of the constituent assembly which, in its current form, would mean domination by the ruling party MPs.

We have noted with satisfaction the acceptance to take back to Parliament the involvement of Zanzibar in the amendment Bill but the President avoided the fact that the government sneaked some issues into the Bill,” said Mr Kambaya.

The opposition also objected to the Bill on the grounds that some clauses give the President too much leeway on the appointment of members of the Constituent Assembly. They also want the life of the Constitution Review Commission extended to the day the new constitution is promulgated--which Mr Kikwete said could be reconsidered.

In another development, the opposition officials asked Mr Kikwete to take unspecified disciplinary action against cabinet ministers and CCM officials they accused of issuing “inflammatory and contradicting” positions on the review process. They singled out ministers Mathias Chikawe (Justice), William Lukuvi (Policy, Co-ordination and Parliament) and Sofia Simba (Community development).

“These ministers should take responsibility for cheating the President on the review process,” said the Ubungo MP. “They cannot be trusted to represent the public interest in this matter and we cannot engage with them.”

In his end of the month address to the nation on Friday, President Kikwete asked the opposition to drop their clamour for protest rallies. He said the issues raised could be resolved in Parliament but was non-committal on the prospects of returning the Bill to the House when it resumes in November.

“We passed through a similar situation in 2012, when the opposition and civil society successfully engaged the government after disagreement in Parliament over some clauses in the Constitution Amendment Act 2011,” said President Kikwete, who returned home early this week from a tour of the US and Canada. “Why, then, can’t we do the same now to avert unnecessary confrontations and wasted energy?”

The opposition protests against the Bill started in Parliament, where they moved a motion to stop debate on the Bill until the amendments they wanted were made. When the Chair ruled them out after a vote for continuation of the debates was cast, they stormed out of the debating chamber.

 

[BAK]

Subiri uone nguvu ya umma kwenye kudai katiba mpya, mpaka kitaeleweka tu.

Hawana ujanja hao, hizo ni mbio za sakafuni.

 

[BAK]

Lissu: Tutamjua Rais Kikwete leo

• Asema kauli zake wanataka wazione kwenye Kamati ya Katiba

na Josephat Isango
Tanzania Daima


MNADHIMU wa kambi rasmi ya upinzani bungeni, Tundu Lissu, amesema kuwa watapima kauli ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete kuhusu muswada wa sheria ya mabadiliko ya katiba, watakapokutana leo katika Kamati ya Katiba, Sheria na Utawala.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jana jijini Dar es Salaam, Lissu alisema kuwa Rais Kikwete katika hotuba yake kwa taifa juzi alisema kuwa suala hilo linazungumzika.
"Mimi ninataka kuona leo kwenye Kamati ya Katiba, Sheria na Utawala liwepo suala hilo katika ratiba kati ya mambo yatakayojadiliwa tayari kwa ajili ya kurejesha muswada bungeni.
"Kama suala hilo halitakuwepo, basi hotuba ya rais itakuwa ni porojo za Magogoni (Ikulu). Rais asiposaini muswada huo ataonyesha nia nzuri aliyokuwa nayo, na hayo tuyaone katika ratiba ya kamati," alisema.
Lissu ambaye pia ni Mbunge wa Singida Mashariki (CHADEMA) na msemaji mkuu wa kambi hiyo kwa Wizara ya Katiba na Sheria, alieleza mshangao wake kwa Rais Kikwete kuhutubia taifa kwa habari za kuambiwa, kuelezwa na kufahamishwa bila yeye kujiridhisha.

Alisema kuwa rais alimtuhumu kwa kumuita "mzushi na muongo mtupu mwenye kauli za kinafiki, fitina na uzandiki wa hali ya juu", lakini akahoji ni kwanini anawataka wapinzani wakae mezani wazungumze naye wakati ni waongo.
"Hoja zangu zilihusu Zanzibar kutokushirikishwa katika mchakato wa kuboresha muswada wa mabadiliko ya sheria, nilisema hakuna mdau hata mmoja au mtu binafsi aliyeonana na wajumbe wa kamati.
"Kwa upande wa bara kulikuwa na wadau 22, ukijumlisha na vyama vya siasa 22, hivyo bara peke yake tulisikiliza wadau 44. Je, fitina, uzandiki na uongo anauosema Kikwete upo wapi?" alihoji.

Lissu alitaja baadhi ya taasisi za bara walizokutana nazo kuwa ni Ongeza Elimu ya Juu, vyama vya siasa na watu binafsi mfano Jaji Mkuu mstaafu, Barnabas Samatta na Prof. Issah Shivji.

Alisema kuwa kwa Zanzibar walipewa ratiba ya kutembelea miradi ya Tasaf, ofisi ndogo ya Bunge na ofisi ya Makamu wa Rais, na kwamba walilalamika kubadilishiwa ratiba hiyo wakiwa Zanzibar.
"Tuliambiwa na Katibu wa Bunge, Dk. Thomas Kashililah tungepewa fedha za kukaa Zanzibar hata kwa wiki nzima, na tulilipwa fedha nyingi tofauti na tunavyolipwa kwa utaratibu wa kawaida," alisema.

Lissu alisema kuwa Kikwete aliwahakikishia Watanzania kuwa Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar ilishirikishwa, lakini Waziri wa Sheria wa Zanzibar alisema kuwa walipelekewa muswada na Mwanasheria Mkuu, Waziri wa Nchi Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu (Sera, Uratibu na Bunge), Wiliam Lukuvi na kuwataka watoe maoni siku hiyo hiyo.

Kwamba Wazanzibari waliona mambo manne waliyopelekewa katika muswada wa mabadiliko ya sheria hayakuwa na shida wakasema sawa, lakini muswada uliopelekwa bungeni ulikuwa na mambo zaidi ya 11.
"Je, hapa kuna uzandiki? Unafiki uko wapi? Je, na waziri huyo wa Zanzibar naye ni mwongo?" alihoji.

Aliongeza kuwa Rais Kikwete katika hotuba yake alisema ‘ameambiwa', ‘ameelezwa' na ‘amefahamishwa', maneno ambayo ameyatamka mara tisa, na hivyo kuhoji inakuwaje rais anahutubia taifa kwa maneno ya kuambiwa ambayo kisheria hayana nguvu?
"Rais ana uwezo wa kukataa muswada na ana mamlaka ya kukataa mambo ya kijinga yanayopitishwa na wabunge. Tunaomba asisaini muswada huo.

"Rais wetu afanye kama Obama aliyenukuliwa siku za hivi karibuni akisema wabunge wakipitisha mambo ambayo hayana tija kwa taifa hatasaini," alisema.
Akizungumzia athari za haraka kama rais atasaini muswada huo, Lissu alisema nchi itapata katiba mbovu ya hovyo na matukio ya vurugu kama ya Zimbabwe na Kenya yatajitokeza Tanzania.

Alisema kuwa nchi hizo zilifikia hapo baada ya serikali kujidai inahodhi muswada wa katiba, ikijipendelea yenyewe badala ya kusikiliza wananchi waseme.

Kuhusu wadau ambao waliwasilisha majina halafu rais akateua kadiri alivyoona bila kuteua majina hayo, Lissu alisema hayo hayakuwa mawazo yake, bali waulizwe mwakilishi wa Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki, Dk. Charles Kitima na Mchungaji Rohho wa CCT.

Kwa wawakilishi wa Shirikisho la Vyama Vya Wenye Ulemavu (Shivyawata), Lissu alidai kuwa walisema kuwa Alshaymar Kweygir, rais ndiye anajua alivyomteua kwani hawakumpendekeza.

 

[Ngalikihinja]

Hawana ujanja hao, hizo ni mbio za sakafuni.

Hamkawiagi kukaa kimyaa...

 

[FaizaFoxy]

Hamkawiagi kukaa kimyaa...

Bora tukae kimya kuliko kusema uongo, fitna, uzandik kama Tundu.

Jana kaongea mengine kabisa, TEC na CCT hakuitaja. Umemshuka.