Rutashubanyuma,
Hivi Mahakama ya Rufaa imesema kuwa election is not a public interest matter au election petition is not a public interest litigation? Are these two phases the same?
Itakuwa vigumu sana kwa mtu kudai kuwa uchaguzi is not a matter of public interest. But the fact that an election is a public interest matter does not necessarily mean that every litigation arising from an election will be of a public interest. Kuna kesi kibao za uchaguzi kuhusu madiwani, mbona hazi-attract public interest?
Kama Mahakama ya Rufaa ilivyosema the test whether a litigation is of public interest depends on the nature of the relief sought and its effect (pg 10). Kwenye kesi ya Lema, walalamikaji walikuwa wanatafuta relief gani? Did the relief sought have a public interest element in it?
I agree with the court that election petitions are not necessarily public interest litigation (though they are matters of great public importance), unless the relief sought benefits the entire society as a whole or a significant section of the society.
Nikiachana na hilo, Lema ameshinda kesi based on technicalities. Kwenye appeal, Lema alikuwa na grounds 18. Mahakama ya Rufaa decided on the first ground only which was the standing of the respondents. This was the easiest ground to decide on.
Ndiyo maana nilikuwa na-question tokea mwanzo why the CJ decided to step in the case in the first place. Maana hata mwanafunzi wa sheria mwaka wa pili angetupilia mbali hii kesi on ground of lack of standing. Fortunately, CJ alikuja kushtuka later kuwa it was none of those complex cases.
Kwenye hii kesi, ikiwa Mahakama Kuu Lema alipinga kuwa walalamikaji walikuwa hawana locus stand. Mahakama Kuu iliamua kuwa a registered voter had an absolute right to bring an election petition even where his rights as a voter were not violated in any way.
But the Court of Appeal found no evidence on the record to indicate that the respondents were registered voters for the purpose of section 111(1)(a) of the [Election Act] (pages 6 and 9). The Court of Appeal continued: The record contains annextures. It is trite law that annextures are not evidence for the court of law to act and rely upon. (pg 6). Upo mpaka hapo?
Hata the way the claimants presented their certificates of registration to the court was not according to the law. For avoidance of the miscarriage of justice, there are legal procedures for tendering documents in legal proceedings. You dont just go there and present the documents to the judge. Ndiyo maana wengine wanalalamika kuwa baadhi ya majaji wetu ni vilaza.
Kwa hiyo, mpaka hapo walalamikaji walikuwa tayari wameshashindwa kesi on technicalities. Kuanzia page 9 ya hukumu, Mahakama ya Rufaa was just assuming kama walalamikaji walikuwa registered voters, je walikuwa na locus stand? Now, lets assume kwamba kulikuwa na ushahidi (not based on those damn anextures) kuwa walalamikaji walikuwa wamejiandikisha kama wapiga kura and that such evidence was properly tendered in court.
Kama kweli walalamikaji waliamini kuwa kulikuwa na public interest kwenye kesi ya Lema basi si wangefungua kesi chini ya kifungu cha 26(2) cha Katiba ambacho kinasema kuwa Every person is entitled, subject to the procedure provided for by the law, to institute proceedings for the protection of the constitution and legality.?
Kama kweli una a genuine concern and you strongly believe that it is a matter of public interest to have this addressed, why dont you go through the constitution in bringing the claim? Mbona tunamwona Mtikila anakitumia sana kifungu hicho kila mara? Why not claimants in Lemas case?
Kama wangeleta kesi chini ya kifungu hicho then, wangekuwa na nafasi ya kubwa kuidhibitishia mahakama kwa nini kulikuwa na public interest kwenye kesi ya Lema. Wangeweza kuidhibishia mahakama legally and factually kuwa kushinda kwa Lema kungeliathiri vipi haki zao na katiba. Even the relief sought would have been different.
Walichofanya walalamikaji probably kwa ushauri wa kisiasa rather than wa kisheria waliamua kuileta kesi chini ya sheria ya uchaguzi. Mahakama Kuu ikaamua kuwa a registered voter had an absolute right to bring an election petition even where his rights as a voter were not violated in any way. Really? Why bring a case whilst your rights have not been violated in any way? This simply encourages frivolous litigation.
Assuming walalamikaji walikuwa wamejiandikisha kama wapiga kura, then kama Mahakama ya Rufaa ingekubaliana na Mahakama Kuu on this point, then ina maana kuwa mtu ambaye amejiandikisha na kupiga kura Pemba angeweza kumshtaki mgombea aliyeshinda udiwani Sumbawanga regardless of whether his/her rights were actually violated. This would have been very absurd indeed. Hata sijui huyo Mpemba angeifungua kesi huko huko Pemba au angesafiri mpaka Sumbawanga kufungua kesi?
The golden rule of statutory interpretation provides that the literal rule of statutory interpretation should not be followed except on those occasions when to apply the literal rule would lead to absurd results or go against pubic policy. This is exactly what the Court of Appeal did by strictly construing the relevant provision in the Election Act.
Gaijin,
Mfano wako wa ni sawa na kutuambia kuwa ukimuona mwizi anaiba kwa jirani usiite polisi kwa sababu haijakuhusu huibiwi wewe?!
Kwa hiyo wewe ukimtukana
Nyani Ngabu, basi mie niwahi fasta mahakamani kukushtaki kwa vile tuu sikupendezwa na ulivyomtukana? Tutofautishe kati ya kesi za jinai na madai.
Lakini swali lako kama mgombea aliyetakiwa kushtaki akifa is relevant. But this can be addressed by allowing the loosing political party to sue just like the loosing candidate would have done. Nchi nyingi zinaruhusu vyama kushtaki. Do you think we should have such a law in Tanzania? Bear in mind that kuna thread nimeona humu eti CCM wamewaruka waliomshitaki Lema kuwa CCM haihusiki kabisa na gharama zozote za kesi hiyo. lol.
JokaKuu,
AshaDii,
Azimio Jipya,
Kiranga,
Bramo,
Nyani Ngabu,
Zakumi,
Gaijin,
Nguruvi3,
Mzee Mwanakijiji