‘No need to engage Chadema’

Dodoma/Dar. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) declared yesterday that there is no reason for the government to engage itself in a dialogue with the opposition Chadema over what the latter terms as “Defiance Day” demonstrations.

Chadema announced in July that it would hold what came out to be hyped “Defiance Day” demonstrations on September 1, 2016 in protest against what it alleges as the suppression of democracy by the government and President John Magufuli’s ‘dictatorial tendencies’.

But on Wednesday, August 31, the main opposition party’s national chairman, Mr Freeman Mbowe, called off the planned demos due to what he said was a deliberate move to give room to several initiatives, such as those involving religious leaders, to reach out to the government for dialogue.

And in an interesting rejoinder, the ruling party’s youth league (UVCCM) said here yesterday that Mr Mbowe needs to come out clear and explain to Tanzanians the “hidden” truth behind the decision to call off the planned demos.

“From what we understand, there has been no discussions between the opposition party on one side and religious leaders and their civil society organisations’ (CSOs) counterparts on the other…the so called “Defiance Day” demonstrations were created by Chadema to get polituical mileage, basing on arguments that do not exist,” the UVCCM acting national secretary general, Shaka Hamdu Shaka.

He was speaking at the ruling party’s headquarters in Dodoma yesterday.

In its strong worded six-page statement, UVCCM says Mr Mbowe is simply playing with the wits of Tanzanians by trying to create a feeling that there is a political deadlock in the country that deserves mediators while the situation does not exist.