Posts Tagged ‘Kikwete’

CTI differs with President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete

Friday, July 8th, 2011

The Citizen Reporter

 

Dar es Salaam. The Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) yesterday differed with a statement made by President Jakaya Kikwete on Wednesday that the Mother Nature was to blame for the prevailing power crisis bedeviling the country.The CTI second vice-president, Mr Jayesh Shah, said the government should stop politicising the power woes, and should instead look for a workable and lasting solution.

 

Speaking during his Wednesday tour of the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), the President defended the minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr William Ngeleja, saying he (the minister) was not responsible for the ongoing power shortage that is threatening to cripple the economy. Of late, various commentators have been calling for the resignation of Mr Ngeleja, who they accuse of failing to address the power crisis that has become the nightmare of industrialists, every category of entrepreneurs and domestic consumers alike.

 

 

Mr Shah told The Citizen in a telephone interview that the government must shoulder the blame for failure to take pre-emptive measures, since it is well known that Mother Nature is not a reliable way of getting electricity, more so in the face of the vagaries of global warming.

 

 

“We’ve said this before, that the government needs to look at the possibility of having alternative sources of power…the country is in a crisis and the words the President is speaking are not helping the matter in anyway,” said Mr Shah.He said Tanzania’s economy would continue to shrink if the power problem is not solved quickly in the face of inflation and the falling value of the local shilling against the US dollar.

 

Mr Shah’s barbed remarks add clout to recent calls by the chief executive officers (CEOs) of different major companies who asked the government to look for an emergency plan to rescue the country’s economy from a total collapse.

 

 

In a meeting last week, the CEOs advised the government to convene a meeting that would involve stakeholders from the government, academia, private sector, development partners and civil society organisations to roll out the necessary plan.The chairman of MAC Group Limited and a CEOs roundtable member, said production in various industries and companies had dropped by about 30 per cent because of the power problem.

 

 

 

The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) told members of the Parliamentary Committee for Energy and Minerals in Dar es Salaam that the loss resulting from the power cuts could amount to a whopping Sh840 billion in unmet collection targets in the second half of the just ended fiscal year.

 

 

The CTI had reported that the last power shedding had not been as serious as the current one, in which about 50 factories have been forced to close up shop.While the CEOs see the problem as a national disaster, when speaking, President Kikwete said the drought problem in the country was not as serious as in countries like Kenya where presently many people were threatened by hunger.

 

“We ask the private sector and other stakeholders to assist us in dealing with the problem,” said the President.

 

President Kikwete’s defence of the minister and now, the CTI rejoinder, come in the wake of criticism that government was not treating the problem with the serious it deserves, while commentators, including ruling party MPs and their Opposition counterparts, are openly calling for the resignation of Energy minister Ngeleja.

 

 

In his statement, President Kikwete also shielded Tanzania Electrici Supply Company Limited (Tanesco), explaining that nature was to blame for the problem. He said it was about time people stopped demanding that certain people take responsibilities for problems they did not create.

 

“The power problem here has not been premeditated by Ngeleja or Mhando (William, the managing director of Tanesco)…there is no water in Mtera,” the President insisted, adding, “this problem has been caused by drought…which of course is not that serious here because in countries like Kenya, drought is already a national disaster.”

 

 

Because of the crisis, Mr Kikwete said, the government was ‘sweating’ on the prospect of obtaining about 300MW until the end of the year, to lessen the problem. “Tanesco is already in the process of working with Aggreko to try to solve the problem…I’m told there were disagreements regarding the cost of the project but they informed me today that they were at an advanced stage of their negotiations.”

 

Source:The Citizen

RAI YA JENERALI:Hatari ya vurugu inatoka kwa watawala, Slaa asiwape kisingizio

Thursday, June 9th, 2011

Na Jenerali Ulimwengu

 

KATIKA kipindi hiki tunapoikazania Serikali ya Rais Jakaya Kikwete isifanye mchezo na suala la Katiba, tunalo jukumu la kutuliza akili zetu na kupima kwa kina kila tunachokisema na kukiandika.

 

Nasema haya kwa sababu naona kama tunalo tatizo linalotokana na Serikali yetu kuonekana kama vile haina msimamo kuhusu suala hili kubwa na zito. Hakuna dalili za wazi zinazoonyesha kwamba Baraza la Mawaziri limeketi na kulijadili kwa undani na kupata msimamo wa pamoja, na wala hakuna dalili kwamba mkuu wa Serikali hiyo, Rais Kikwete amewapa watu wake maagizo kuhusu nini wafanya na nini waseme kuhusu mada hii ya Katiba.

 

Kinachojitokeza ni taswira ya kuparaganyika kwa mawazo na kutokuelewana miongoni mwa wale wanaotarajiwa kutuongoza. Kwa bahati mbaya, ingawaje sasa naamini watakuwa wamegundua kwamba walichokifikiria kuwa kitu rahisi, ni kigumu kweli kweli na wanatakiwa wajiandae kukishughulikia kwa umakini mkubwa kuliko huo walioudhihirisha hadi sasa.

 

Ningependa nirejee jambo ambalo nimekuwa nikilishadidia kwa muda mrefu kidogo: Suala la Katiba mpya limeshika kasi isiyokuwa ya kawaida, na wala haliwezi kuondoka kirahisi. Linahitaji kufanyiwa kazi itakayowaridhisha wananchi, na hiyo kazi haiwezekani ikafanyika ila kwa kuwahusisha wananchi kwa kiwango kikubwa kinachowezekana.

 

Ukweli ni kwamba, hata kama hatukuwa tumezowea hili, hivi sasa wananchi wanataka mabadiliko makubwa katika maisha yao, na wanataka kuanza na Katiba watakayoiandaa wenyewe.

 

Ni kwa nini wananchi wamefikia kiwango hiki cha utashi, mimi binafsi sina jibu la haraka, na kila mtu anaweza kuwa na maoni yake. Lakini naamini kwamba wananchi wengi wameanza kung’amua kwamba mambo hayaendi kama ambavyo yanatakiwa yaende.

 

Wanayaona maisha yao yakiwa hayana matarajio tena. wanaona hali zao za kiuchumi na kijamii zikizidi kuzorota. Wanaona maisha bora waliyoahidiwa kama ni mzaha wamechezewa. Wanawaona watawala wao kama waongo na wanafiki, wasiojali, wala rushwa na wauza nchi. Hawaamini lo lote linalosemwa na watawala kwani wamekwisha kudanganywa mara nyingi.

 

Sasa wamehamanika na wanataka mabadiliko, tena wanataka mabadiliko makubwa.

 

Nimekuwa nikifuatilia kwa kiasi fulani maandamano na mikutano ya viongozi wa CHADEMA katika mikoa ya Kusini, na nimekuwa nikiangalia maelfu ya watu wanaoshiriki katika maandamano hayo na mikutano hiyo. Ningekuwa mtawala ningeshitushwa na mikusanyiko ile kwa sababu ningetambua kwamba inabeba ujumbe mzito kwangu.

 

Ujumbe unaotoka katika maandamano yale na mikutano ile ni kwamba wananchi wamechoka. Ukiona kaumu ya watu kama tuliyoiona katika miji midogo na ya ‘pembezoni’ kama Sumbawanga wanaandamana na kukaa mkutanoni wakisikiliza kama watotot wa shule wanavyokaa darasani kumsikiliza mwalimu, unajua kwamba kuna kitu kimebadilika katika jamii ya Watanzania.

 

Lakini papo hapo ningependa kutoa angalizo. Kama nilivyowahi kuandika huko nyuma, hii si mara ya kwanza tunashuhudia hamaniko la aina hii la kutaka mabadiliko. Nimeandika kwamba tuliwahi kuona, hapa nchini, hamasa walizozua wanasiasa kama Chistopher Mtikila na Augustine Mrema wakati ule. Watu wengi waliwachukulia hawa kama wakombozi wao. Baadaye bila shaka walikuja kugundua kwamba matumaini yao yalikuwa yamegonga mwamba.

 

Lakini shauku ikiisha kujengeka kwamba hali iliyopo haifai na ni lazima ibadilike, shauku hiyo haiishi kwa sababu manabii waliotarajiwa kufanya kazi ya ukombozi wamedondoka kando ya njia, bali shauku hiyo huhamishwa na jukumu la ukombozi likatafutiwa manabii wengine. Na kwetu ndivyo ilivyokuwa.

 

Kikwete alipoingia madarakani mwaka 2005 shauku hiyo ilikuwa imehamishiwa kwake. Bila shaka mwenyewe atakuwa anakumbuka kwamba ilifika mahali wakati wa kampeni ndani ya CCM ikasemwa kwamba hata kama CCM wasingemchagua yeye kuwa mgombea, angepata kuwa rais kwa kupitia chama kingine cho chote. Hayo yalisemwa na wana CCM na wanachama wa vyama vya upinzani pia.

 

Hili nalisisistiza kwa makusudi mazima: Hizi ni dalili za kuhamanika na kukata tamaa kwa Watanzania wengi. Na hali hii imekuwapo kwa muda mrefu toka utawala wa Rais Ali Hassan Mwinyi hadi ule wa Rais Benjamin Mkapa. Sasa inajirudia katika utawala wa Rais Jakaya Kikwete.

 

Wananchi wengi wanaona mkombozi wao mpya, nabii wao mpya, ni CHADEMA. Wanachosema katika lugha ya miili yao ambayo naiona kupitia televesheni na kupitia magazeti, ni kwamba wakipata fursa ya kupiga kura na uchaguzi ukawa “huru na wa haki” wanaweza (na uwezekano huo ni mkubwa) watapiga kura kuichagua CHADEMA.

 

Sasa, kama tunavyojua, uchaguzi mwingine ni mwaka 2015. Bado tunayo miaka minne hadi tupate fursa nyingine ya kupiga kura. Ni vyema kwa wale wanaotaka kufanya mabadiliko katika utawala wa nchi hii kwa njia mbali mbali wakautumia muda uliosalia kujiandaa kwa ajili ya uchaguzi huo, na wale wanaotaka kuiondoa CCM madarakani wafanye kampeni ya nguvu ya kuwahamasisha wapiga kura kimawazo lakini pia na kuwahamasisha wajitokeza siku ya kupiga kura ili watimize azima yao.

 

Ndiyo maana nilijikuta nikiwa na wasiwasi (wiki chache zilizopita) nilipomsikia Katibu Mkuu wa CHADEMA, Willbrod Slaa akizungumza kama vile anao mpango wa kufanya mabadiliko anayotaka kuyafanya kabla ya uchaguzi ujao. Aliposema kwamba kuiondoa serikali ya Kikwete kabla ya 2015 hautakuwa uhaini anaweza kuwa anasema kweli, kwani uwezekano huo upo.

 

Kwa mfano Bunge linaweza, katika mazingira mahsusi yaliyoainishwa na Katiba, likamshitaki Rais kwa kosa la kuidhalilisha Ofisi yake, na kama akikutwa na hatia likamvua madaraka. Hiyo imeandikwa katika Katiba tuliyo nayo hivi sasa, na wala halina haja ya kusubiri Katiba mpya. Ndiyo maana nasema kwamba anachosema Slaa ni cha kweli kwa maana ya vifungu vya Katiba ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano kama ilivyo leo.

 

Kinachonitia hofu ni kwamba napata hisia kwamba Slaa hakujikita katika vifungu vya Katiba, angalau maelezo niliyoyasoma hayakusema hivyo, jambo ambalo linaweza kuzaa tafsiri kwamba njia mojawapo inayofikiriwa ni kuung’oa utawala wa Kikwete kwa maandamano, kama ilivyokuwa Medani Tahrir.

 

Kama hivyo ndivyo alivyokusudia kusema Slaa, kuna tatizo. Tatizo hilo, kwa mtazamo wangu, linakuwa kubwa zaidi kwa kuangalia matukio ya siku hizi chache zilizopita.

 

Tatizo lenyewe si kwamba haiwezekani kuung’oa utawala uliopo kupitia maandamano na bado kitendo cha kuung’oa kikawa si uhaini. Nchi nyingi zimeshuhudia hilo likifanyika, ikiwa ni pamoja na Indonesia, Philippines, Georgia na sasa Tunisia na Misri. Kilichotokea katika nchi hizo ni mapinduzi ya umma uliosimama na kusema “Utawala huu sasa basi!” Ni mantiki ya mapinduzi kama hayo kwamba yanapofanikiwa walioyaongoza wanakwenda moja kwa moja Ikulu, lakini wakishindwa wanatiwa kitanzi.

 

Ni kwa jinsi hii akina Fidel Castro (Cuba) na Nelson Mandela (Afrika Kusini) walikwenda jela lakini hatimaye waliingia madarakani, lakini Pierre Mulele (Kongo) na Mahjoub (Sudan) walitiwa kitanzi.

 

Naamini kwamba Katibu Mkuu wa CHADEMA alitaka kupeleka ujumbe mzito kwa wakuu wa nchi, lakini kila siku ujumbe unaohusu mambo kama haya hauna budi uandaliwe kwa uangalifu na weledi mkubwa ili usije ukazaa tafsiri zaidi ya moja.

 

Ingekuwa vyema kama Slaa angeonyesha subira katika matamko yake. Hivi sasa watu wengi wanamwangalia kama “rais mtarajiwa.” Angechukua muda kujiandaa kwa umakini mkubwa, hasa wa kuyasoma matatizo ya nchi yetu na kufikiria njia mbali mbali za kuyakabili kuanzia na hili la Katiba ambalo sasa naamini kwamba iwapo atachaguliwa kuwa rais mwaka 2015 ( na nasema hili linawezekana kabisa), atalikuta bado lipo kwa sababu sioni dhamira ya kweli ya kulishughulikia.

 

Akijipa muda wa kujifunza zaidi na kukusanya maoni, na kujenga mitandao ya utafiti itakayowahusisha wataalamu wa kumshauri na kukishauri chama chake, akichukua muda kujadili matatizo ya nchi hii na makundi mbali mbali ya kijamii katika shughuli zao mbali mbali na wakamweleza matatizo yao; naye akajadiliana nao… atakuja kugundua kwamba hakuna muda wa kutosha kwa ajili ya maandalizi hayo.

 

Najua mara nyingi umefanyika uchokozi dhidi ya vyama vya siasa na wanasiasa wa upinzani. Uchokozi huo unafanywa makusudi ili kipatikane kisingizio na wapinzani waweze kushutumiwa kwamba ndio waliodhamiria kuvunja “amani na utulivu” na misemo mingine ya kuchekesha ukiangalia “amani na utulivu” vinavyotawala shughuli za chama-tawala.

 

Kwangu ni dhahiri kwamba kama kuna ghasia kubwa zitakazotokea nchini humu, zitaanzia katika vurugu zinazoendelea ndani ya chama hicho tawala. Hata hivyo, Slaa angejiweka mbali na kila kinachoweza kumfanya yeye ama chama chake waonekane, hata kama si kweli, kwamba wao ndio wanaochochea vurugu.

 

Naandika haya nikijua kwamba sasa kuna hamaniko ndani ya duru za watawala, kwa sababu wanajua wamepoteza nguvu za ushawishi na wanachokiona kwamba kinaweza kuwasaidia ni ushawishi wa nguvu, kama ambavyo wanaonekana kutumia mitulinga isiyokuwa na sababu yo yote alimradi tu waonyeshe kwamba wanazo nguvu, kama vile hatujui kwamba wanazo.

 

Katika kutapatapa wamewaingiza na wakuu fulani wa dini ambao nao sasa wanatoa ‘onyo’ kwa CHADEMA kama vile wamegeuka kuwa idara ya usalama ya serikali au wasemaji wa Jeshi la Polisi.

 

Hali hii inatisha, lakini si mpya. Imetokea kila mahali utawala ulipozeeka, ukapoteza njia, ukasahau hata asili yake, ukapuyanga na kubahatisha, ukababaisha na kubangaiza, ukayumba na kutetereka, ukatekwa na waporaji, ukaendelea kujitutumua kwa kuonyesha ukali wa kijeshi kumbe ndani ya roho yake kiini chake kilikwisha kugugunwa na mapanya-buku kwa muda mrefu. Utawala kama huo unao uwezo mkubwa wa kusababisha maafa kutokana na udhaifu wake.

 

Slaa akae chonjo, apunguze hisia, awe m-rais (presidential). Ajifunze zaidi, kwani kama bado ana nia ya kuwania urais mwaka 2015, kazi iliyo mbele yake ni kubwa. Akumbuke tu kwamba, Rais Jakaya Kikwete alikuwa na (angalau) miaka kumi ya kujiandaa kuwa rais, na hii kumi ni ile tunayoijua sisi.

 

Hata baada ya muda huo wa miaka kumi kupita, na hata baada ya miaka mitano ya kuendesha Serikali, inaelekea bado hajajifunza mambo mengi ya msingi kabisa yanayohusu uongozi na utawala. Slaa afanye hadhari, asije akawa vivyo hivyo.

 

Chanzo: Raia Mwema

 

Church to JK: Name drug dealing clerics

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

Dar es Salaam.

 

The Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) yesterday gave President Jakaya Kikwete 48 hours to name religious leaders the Head of State had said are dealing in illicit drugs. Short of that, they charged, he shall have jeopardised his credibility as a national leader.

 

 

The unprecedented challenge from religious leaders to the President was contained in a statement by the first CCT Vice Chairman Valentino Mokiwa yesterday when responding to a question from a journalist who wanted to know the Church’s reaction to President Kikwete’s warning to clerics who were involved in narcotics business.

 

Addressing a congregation during the ordination of Mbinga Catholic Bishop John Ndimbo, Mr Kikwete asked religious leaders to assist the government in the war against drugs, noting that some religious leaders were also involved in the illegal business. The President is reported to have said that some religious leaders have been using youths to import and peddle the drugs.

 

 

The issue came up at a press conference where CCT leaders were briefing journalists on the resolutions of the CCT executive committee meeting held in Dodoma on Wednesday and Thursday last week.

 

Dr Mokiwa said President Kikwete’s failure to name religious leaders engaged in the illegal trade, would amount to disservice to the country and its people.

 

“We expect the President to be more open and specific; if he has data on certain leaders it is better that he names them so that the law takes its course… there is no need for him to conceal the names of such people,” he insisted.

 

He added that it would be most useful if he revealed the names instead of giving a blanket statement that religious leaders deal in illicit drugs.

 

According to Dr Mkoliwa, they have a lot of respect for the President and they have not taken his statement lightly. He said Mr Kikwete should not be wary of naming the dubious religious leaders, as CCT would give him all the necessary support in sorting them out.

 

“It will be easy for us to act if we know who among us are actually involved in this business. Because the President seems to know them, let him be open and expose them and we will not hesitate to make them accountable for their conduct,” he said.

 

In a separate press briefing, the head of the anti-narcotics department in the Police Force, Senior Assistant of Police (SACP) Godfrey Nzowa, said of late, they have been investigating reports that some clerics deal in drugs.

 

“As part of our strategies, we managed to catch one Pastor Okechkwu, but we are conducting further investigations in a bid to catch the local clerics who are in the illegal business,” Mr Nzowa told journalists at a briefing conducted at the Police headquarters.

 

But, he said, in some cases, some laymen masquerading as religious leaders have been caught with narcotics.

 

“Sometimes this tarnishes the good name of the clergy and the religious bodies,” he said.
He added that the Police Force will leave no stone unturned if they succeed in their effort to nab local clerics the President Kikwete noted on Sunday they were engaged in the illegal business.

 

Meanwhile, reading the resolution of the CCT national executive council meeting, the chairman of the denomination, Bishop Peter Kitula noted that the council wanted the government to be more careful on the new process to rewrite the Constitution, especially in collecting views from the wananchi.

 

He said that collection of views and comments from various sections of the society was a crucial step if the country is to have a good constitution and the process should be guided by an independent organ.

 

“The exercise should not be hurried or delayed, though it would be apt if it were to be completed before the 2015 General Election,” he said.

 

He also said CCT would urge the government to find ways of reducing the gap between the rich and the poor in the country. He noted that if the situation was not controlled, it could lead to civil unrest.“This situation is causing the poor to be critical towards their government,” he said, adding that such criticism should not be treated as political, simply because it is at times aired by members of certain political parties.

 

He wondered why, for instance, fuel was cheaper in some neighbouring countries than in Tanzania, while the same was imported to them through Dar es Salaam port.

Source:The Citizen

Migiro applauds Tanzania’s bold war against HIV/Aids

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

By Lucas Liganga

The Citizen Chief Reporter

 

Dar es Salaam.

 

The United Nations yesterday hailed Tanzania for playing a frontline role in the fight against HIV/Aids.The UN called on Tanzania to push HIV/Aids concerns up the political agenda and integrate it in broader health and development programmes.

 

The UN deputy secretary general, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, told a news conference in Dar es Salaam at the end of her two-day tour of Tanzania that the UN appreciated President Jakaya Kikwete’s personal commitment to enhancing the fight against HIV/Aids.  She said President Kikwete was already playing a leading role in global health by co-chairing the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health.

 

“This is a milestone year in our global battle against the disease,” said Dr Migiro, adding: “Three decades ago, Aids was a death sentence… Today, we have the means to prevent transmission, offer treatment and research a vaccine.”

 

The UN deputy secretary general said the challenge now was to make sure that all people were covered.“Our goal is simple: zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero Aids-related deaths,” she said, adding that these three zeroes would add up to tremendous gains for millions of affected individuals and the world as a whole.

 

She said that during her visit to Tanzania, in which she was accompanied by the executive director of the UN programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids), Dr Michel Sidibe, they toured the Tanzania Youth Alliance where young people are showing an extraordinary sense of responsibility in addressing HIV/Aids.

 

“We can all learn from their energy and commitment,” said Dr Migiro, adding that they also visited a clinic focused on preventing mother-to-child transmission.She said: “We were both heartened to see how they are reaching pregnant women and stopping the spread of the virus.”  Dr Sidibe said the HIV incidence fell by at least 25 per cent between 2001 and 2009 in 33 countries, including 22 in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

He added that more than six million people across the world were able to access lifesaving antiretroviral treatment at the end of 2010, up from 5.2 million at the end of 2009. Dr Sidibe said global coverage of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child exceeded 50 per cent for the first time in 2009.The UNAids boss said that a significant funding gap remained.

 

Source: The Citizen

Wanasiasa wapinga muswada wa kurekebisha katiba

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

Baadhi ya washiriki wa kongamano la pili la katiba lililofanyika katika Ukumbi wa Nrumah Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam jana, wakifutila mada mbali mbali wakati wa kongamano hilo. Picha na Joseph Zablon.

 

 

Elias Msuya na   Freddy Azzah
WAKATI serikali ikijiandaa kuwasilisha Muswada wa Marekebisho ya Katiba bungeni wiki ijayo, wanasiasa na wasomi wameupinga wakisema utawabana wananchi.Hata hivyo, wawakilishi wa CCM na UDP walionja joto la jiwe na kulazimika kukatisha hotuba zao, baada ya kuzomewa na washiriki wa Kongamano la kujadili Muswada wa Marekebisho ya Katiba lililofanyika Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam jana.

 

Viongozi wa vyama vya siasa vya upinzani na wanasheria walioshiriki kongamano hilo walipinga mfumo utakaotumiwa kwa maelezo kuwa unawanyima wananchi haki.Mwenyekiti wa Chadema, Freeman Mbowe, ambaye alishiriki katika kongamano hilo, alisema chama chake hakioni nia njema ya serikali katika kuunda katiba mpya, hivyo wataipinga bungeni na nje ya bunge. Chama hicho kimeapa kutumia maandamano kwa kile wanachokiita nguvu ya umma kuupinga muswada huo kama utapitishwa na Bunge kuwa sheria.

 

“Najua watu wanazungumzia amani, lakini tutaheshimu amani kama inajali maslahi ya wananchi…Tutapinga muswada huo bungeni na kama Bunge litaendeshwa kwa ushabiki, tutarudi kwa wananchi na majibu mtayaona,” alisema. Serikali inatarajia kuwasilisha muswada huo wiki ijayo bungeni, kwa hati ya dharura ili uweze kupitishwa.

 

Akihutubia taifa, Rais Jakaya Kikwete juzi alizungumzia suala la katiba mpya ikiwamo muswada huo.
Naye Mwakilishi wa Chadema katika kongamano hilo, Mabere Marando alisema muswada huo umedhihirisha kuwa Serikali haikuwa na nia ya kuleta katiba mpya bali kuifanyia marekebisho katiba ya sasa.

 

Alikosoa kifungu cha tano cha muswada huo kinachompa uwezo Rais kuunda Tume na kuipa hadidu za rejea.
“Kifungu cha tano kinampa uwezo Rais ambaye ni Mwenyekiti wa CCM akishauriana na Rais wa Zanzibar kuunda tume na kuteua wajumbe na kuwapa hadidu za rejea. Yaani viongozi wawili wa CCM ndiyo wawateue Watanzania Tume ya Katiba,” alisema Marando.

 

Mwakilishi NCCR
Naye Mkurugenzi wa Sheria wa Chama cha NCCR Mageuzi, Dk Sengondo Mvungi, alisema chama chake kimesikitishwa na muswada huo na kwamba watakaa na vyama vingine ili wapeleke hati ya marekebisho ya muswada kabla ya kujadiliwa bungeni.

 

“Nimepokea ushauri kutoka kwa Dk Slaa kwamba sasa inabidi tukae mkao wa uanaharakati ili kupinga muswada huo. Kwanza tutapeleka ‘schedule of amendment’ (hati ya marekebisho) ya muswada kabla haujajadiliwa,” alisema Dk Mvungi. Dk Mvungi alisema kuwa kilio cha Watanzania tangu mfumo wa vyama vingi uanzishwe nchini mwaka 1992 ni kuwa na katiba mpya, siyo marekebisho ya Katiba.

 

Mwakilishi wa CUF
Naye Naibu Katibu Mkuu wa CUF, Julius Mtatiro, alisema  chama chake kimesikitishwa na muswada huo na kuonya kuwa, kama serikali itaendelea nao Tanzania itaingia kwenye machafuko. “Tulipomsikia Rais Kikwete akitoa hotuba kwa tabasamu mwishoni mwa mwaka jana, tulidhani ana nia njema, kumbe muswada huo hauna hata chembe ya tabasamu. Umejaa vitisho vya kila aina, vitisho hivyo vya nini?” alihoji Mtatiro.

 

Mwakilishi  CCM azomewa
Hata hivyo, hali ya hewa katika kongamano hilo ilichafuka baada ya Mwakilishi wa CCM, Prince Bagenda kupanda jukwaani na kuanza kutoa maoni ya chama chake ambapo washiriki wa kongamano hilo walianza kumzomea kila alipoendelea kuzungumza.

 

Bagenda alikiri kwamba hoja ya Katiba haikuwa ya CCM, lakini akasema CCM ilikubali kwa kuwa Serikali huongozwa kwa maoni ya wananchi. Hata hivyo, Bagenda aliwakera watu aliposema suala la katiba haliji hivi hivi tu, bali wananchi wanapaswa kudai. “Msifikiri kila kitu mnapewa tu, lazima mdai,” alisema Bagenda huku akizomewa na washiriki wa kongamano hilo. Baadaye alishindwa kuendelea kutokana na kuzomewa licha ya Msimamizi wa kongamano hilo, Dk Kitila Mkumbo, kujaribu kuwatuliza watu bila mafanikio.

 

Cheyo wa UDP
Hali ilikuwa hivyohivyo kwa Mwenyekiti wa UDP ambaye pia ni Mbunge wa Bariadi Mashariki, John Cheyo, ambaye alishindwa kuendelea na mada yake baada ya watu kuanza kumzomea. Cheyo alisema kuwa muswada huo bado haujawa sheria kwa hiyo hakuna haja ya kuulalamikia sana na kwamba ingawa watu wanaupinga kinachotakiwa kuzingatiwa ni amani.

 

Jaji Samata
Jaji Mkuu Mstaafu Barnabas Samata, alisema katiba ya sasa ina upungufu zaidi ya 100 na baadhi ya upungufu huo kuwa ni pamoja na katiba hiyo kutomhusisha Mungu. “Nchi yetu imetajwa na Katiba kuwa ni ‘circular’ (isiyo na dini) ila watu wake wana dini. Kuwa circular maana yake nchi hiyo iko kinyume na Mungu. Hakuna hata kifungu kimoja kinachomtaja Mungu, lakini kwenye wimbo wa Taifa tumemtaja Mungu mara nyingi tu,” alisema Jaji Samata.

 

Upungufu mwingine ni pamoja na Katiba kutoenzi waasisi wa taifa, Rais kuwa sehemu ya Bunge, kupewa madaraka makubwa, Bunge kuwa na nguvu kubwa, matokeo ya urais kutopingwa mahakamani, Rais kutokuwa na kikomo cha uteuzi wa mawaziri, nchi kutokuwa na itikadi maalumu ya siasa na kutokuwapo kwa mahakama ya Katiba.

 

Jaji Samata alitaka pia, kabla ya kuandikwa kwa katiba mpya vyama vya siasa vyote vikae na kupanga namna misingi ya siasa itakavyokuwa ili kuwezesha nchi kuongozwa kwa misingi ya katiba na siyo utashi wa kiongozi mwenyewe.Pia katika katiba inayotarajiwa kuandikwa, alisema rais asiwe sehemu ya Bunge ila ashirikishe tu pale panapohitajika ikiwa ni pamoja na kusaini sheria na kuhutubia Bunge akiwa kiongizi wan chi na siyo sehemu ya Bunge.

 

“Hali hiyo itatoa uhuru zaidi kwa bunge kufanya shughuli zake, lakini pia utatoa tatizo la mihimili ya dola kutoingiliana katika utendaji wake wa kazi,” alisema Jaji Samata.

 

Francis Kiwanga
Kwa upande wake, Mkurugenzi wa Kituo cha Sheria na Haki za Biandamu, Francis Kiwanga, ambaye aliukosoa muswada huo akisema kuwa rais amepewa madaraka makubwa mno katika kuunda Tume ya Katiba.
Alisema sehemu ya tatu ya muswada huo inampa madaraka rais kuunda tume, kuunda baraza la katiba na kutoa hadidu za rejea. “Rais ni zao la katiba, hawezi kutengeneza Katiba chafu awape wananchi. Wananchi wameporwa mamlaka kwa kumfanya rais kama chombo cha kutengeneza Katiba,” alisema Kiwanga.

 

Profesa Shivji
Naye Profesa Issa Shivji alisema muswada huo una matatizo ya lugha, muundo, mantiki pamoja na kisiasa.
“Ukiusoma kwa umakini utaona unazungumzia mapitio ya katiba hii tuliyonayo na siyo kuandikwa kwa katiba mpya kama tunavyotaka,” anasema Profesa Shivij.Alisema maelezo ya muswada huo juu ya kuundwa kwa tume ya kukusanya maoni, kuundwa kwa Bunge la katiba na nani anayepaswa kukabidhiwa ripoti ya tume iliyokusanya maoni, vifungu vyote hivyo vina upungufu.