Lipumba rejects suspension by ‘illegal’ Zanzibar meeting

Dar/Zanzibar. The former CUF chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, has dismissed the party’s decision to suspend him. He further claimed he is still the senior-most leader up to the day the CUF National Congress will be convened to decide otherwise.

Reacting separately to news reports about his announced suspension and that of nine other CUF members, Prof Lipumba told The Citizen that he doesn’t recognise the decision to suspend his membership, which was reached by party’s Supreme Governing Body (SGB) meeting that was convened in Zanzibar on Sunday because, he alleged, the meeting was held without following correct procedures.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m still a CUF member because no charges have been officially communicated to me,” he said during a telephone interview.

He added that he was looking forward to receiving a reply from the Registrar of Political Parties following a letter he wrote to inform him about circumstances surrounding his resignation and his decision to revoke the move he took.

“Principally, in the letter, I’ve told the Registrar that I’ve resumed my position as party chairman.

I’ve told him about the process I followed during my resignation and that, since party’s congress was yet to convene, I wrote CUF a letter revoking my earlier decision,” he said.

CUF deputy secretary general (Zanzibar) Nassor Ahmed Mazrui told reporters in Zanzibar yesterday that Prof Lipumba, the deputy secretary general (Mainland) and six other CUF members have been removed from leadership positions and suspended from membership for various reasons. One member has been expelled and two others given stern warning.

While Prof Lipumba’s suspension is associated with the disruption of the August 21, 2016 National congress, Ms Sakaya has been suspended because of alleged failure to attend the August 28, 2016 Zanzibar meeting without sending an apology.

Prof Lipumba insisted that he was still the chairman of the party because the vote to oust him from position during the August 21 National Congress meeting was rigged by leaders in the party who wanted to see some members are kicked out.

The congress meeting was convened in Dar es Salaam to vote for or against Prof Lipumba’s August, 2015 resignation letter. Had the delegates voted “No”, Prof Lipumba’s resignation would have been officially considered null and void, according to the party’s constitution.

But on that day, the delegates voted to accept the erstwhile CUF chairman’s resignation in a process he, however, says was not valid, which, alleges, was the cause of chaos that ensued and led to the break-up of the meeting.

For her part, Ms Sakaya told The Citizen yesterday that she wasn’t shocked by the suspension because whenever members have stood for their rights within CUF, they got punished.

“When they started side-lining me from various party activities and meetings, the message was clear to me that my decision to advocate rights and equality in the party has created enemies for me within the top CUF leadership,” she claimed.

She said CUF has officially entered the twilight zone of endless intra-party disputes which will never be solved by suspending or expelling members.

“Suspending me will not end problems in the party because I can I assure CUF that many other Sakayas will emerge from within it. CUF is supposed to evaluate itself and resolve internal conflicts, if it is to remain in the league of respected political parties in the country” she said.

Other members who were suspended include Ashura Mustafa, Mohamed Mnyaa, Kapasha Kapasha, Haroub Shaim, Omar Masoud and Thomas Malima. The suspensions are according to CUF Section 83 (5) (b) and (c) of the CUF constitution and that the suspended members will be given the opportunity to defend themselves in the next meeting which, however, has not been scheduled.

Another member, Mr Shashu Lugie, was expelled after being given an opportunity to defend himself in the Zanzibar meeting.

Meanwhile, the SGB of CUF has appointed Mr Julius Mtatiro chairman of the interim governing council. Mr Mazrui said the SGB also appointed Mr John Bashange acting deputy secretary general (Mainland).