Tanzania's main opposition party expels 19 rebel law-makers

By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA Tanzania

Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema, has expelled 19 special seats Members of Parliament who were allegedly sworn in to represent the party without its blessings following the 2020 general election.

On November 27, 2020, the party’s Central Committee announced a decision to strip its 19 cadres of their memberships status when they were sworn-in outside the Parliament in Dodoma to hold Special Seats positions without the authorisation of the party.

The party’s governing council that met at Mlimani City in Dar es salaam on Wednesday night in the presence of Deputy Registrar of Political Parties, Sixty Nyahoza, voted unanimously to expel the 19 Members of Parliament for rebelling against the party.

The decision was received with jubilation by opposition members from all corners of the country through social media platforms. Chadema that had more than 100 members of Parliament now will remain with one member, Aida Kenani, representing Nkasi constituency.

On November 27, 2020, the party’s Central Committee announced a decision to strip its 19 cadres of their memberships status when they were sworn-in outside the Parliament in Dodoma to hold Special Seats positions without the authorisation of the party.

According to the press release by the Chadema’s Director of Protocol and Communications, John Mrema, 413 (97.6%) members voted for the expulsion of the rebellious members, 5 (1.2%) members voted against and other 5 (1.2%) members abstained.

Following the decision, Chadema now will remain with one member, Aida Kenani, representing Nkasi constituency.

“These members were initially expelled from the party in 2020 by the party’s Central Committee but they appealed to the party’s governing council which has formally confirmed their expulsion from the party.” He said adding that now it is up to the Speaker on the Parliament to decide their fate since they no longer represent the party as required by the country’s constitution.

Mrema said that the party’s General Secretary, John Mnyika, will immediately write to inform the Speaker of the Parliament regarding the status of the 19 members.

Commenting on their expulsion, former Kawe Member of Parliament and the leader of the group, Halima Mdee, said the voting process and the decision was hooliganism and lacked transparency. “This is act of hooliganism, I didn’t expect this mature party to act like this!” She lamented.

Expelled members include Halima Mdee, Esther Matiko, Grace Tendega, Cecilia Pareso, Ester Bulaya, Agnes Lambart, Nusrat Hanje Jesca Kishoa and Hawa Mwaifunga.

Others include Tunza Malapo, Asia Mohammed, Felister Njau, Naghenjwa Kaboyoka, Sophia Mwakagenda Kunti Majala, Stella Flao, Anatropia Theonest, Salome Makamba and Conchesta Rwamlaza.

To date it is not clear how and where the former Speaker of the Parliament, Job Ndugai, got the list and why it maintained the 19 members in the Parliament for almost 18 months against the wish of their party and the national constitution.

The opposition party has for long held the stand that it neither proposed nor endorsed the names of the 19 for special seats positions in the Parliament, insisting that it was to the party’s surprise that their names came up in Parliament. - Africa