Settle dispute, CUF urged

Dar es Salaam. Political stakeholders have called for immediate search for reconciliation among leaders and members of the Civic United Front (CUF) in order to plug loopholes escalating divisions in the party.

They have been urged to forget what transpired at the National Congress meeting held on Sunday to elect a new party leadership followingthe resignation of former chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, vice chairman Juma Duni Haji and open a new chapter in the country’s politics.

Chaos erupted during the Sunday meeting where delegates hurled furniture at each other while uttering unsavoury words against CUF secretary general Seif Shariff Hamad, prompting its chairman, Mr Julius Mtatito, to postpone the Congress until further notice.

But, party leaders have been advised to intervene in the dispute, to rescue the opposition camp from sliding into deeper unpopularity after Dr John Magufuli’s ascendancy to the presidency after last October’s polls.

Stakeholders believe that through dialogue and reconciliation, CUF will build a strong institution to reclaim powers, respect, trust and qualities to be considered as mature enough to be given roles to lead the country.

But, CUF deputy secretary general (Mainland), Ms Magdalena Sakaya, said choosing a new leadership during the Sunday election without resolving the vividly witnessed divisions was meant to burden new leaders with hardships.

”Even if the new leaders would have been elected under the influence of armed forces and the police during the Sunday meeting, resolving the intra-party dispute is important for the new leaders to succeed during their leadership,” she said in a telephone interview.

She said since fundamental problems are yet to be solved, leaders are supposed to use powers provided by the constitution to resolve and end divisions in the party for the party’s interests and the interests of Tanzanians at large.

Her sentiments were echoed by Prof Lipumba, who stressed on the need for new era of solving internal disputes through dialogue. He said he decided to revoke his resignation decision after witnessing that the party was growing weak in the Mainland, compared to the Isles, and that a party seeking to lead the country must be strong on both sides of the Union.

According to him, the opposition made mistake to welcome former Prime Minister dward Lowassa and grant him the opportunity to vie for presidency via its coalition, Ukawa, but at this juncture, he considers it important to strengthen CUF before considering its relationship with other political parties.

Speaking after members had voted him out of the chairmanship, Prof Lipumba said he was not forcing to remain party chairman but insisted that procedures provided in the constitution should be followed.

“I’m not insisting to remain CUF chairman, but democratic procedures should be followed during the process….however, regarding what transpired the Sunday Congress meeting I’m leaving to the members to decide,” he said.

According to him, the Sunday election was rigged and that democracy wasn’t observed.

On his part, a lecturer at the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA), Mr Parit Sarun, hailed Lipumba’s rejection after losing trust from the majority, saying he should blame himself for abandoning responsibilities ahead of last year’s election.

“If he were re-elected, couldn’t he repeat the same thing he did in last year? This is a key question that CUF members had probably asked themselves before voted him out of power,” he said.

Suggesting the way forward, Mr Sarun said there was a need for reconciliation between the two camps for the betterment of the party’s future, basing on the fact that all political parties seek to win the power.

He said, “the party has been lacking political tolerance and this should be cured as soon as possible to avoid more consequences.

A political science and public administration Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Mr Richard Mbunda, said emerging blocs were expected due to the failure to solve differences that emerged among top leaders since last year.

“We expected this crisis, as they failed to agree on which stand they should take...this paved the way for the rise of alliances that are being taking over right now,” he said.

“What happens is the impact of the collision of personalities in the party, apparently there is no mutual understanding among them and everyone wants to show his power through support from followers,” he said.

The analysts said the party should have handled disputes at the management level instead of pursuing the congress option.

“However I believe that they had a very important chance yesterday (on Sunday) to correct the mistakes that they had made,” he said.

“Again they attempted to correct the mistake by repeating the same mistakes they had made previously. This is a big blunder.”

He said, despite of the current situation, they have to trust each other and keep on the spirit they were having before for the sake of maintaining the party’s image that had been built over many years.

But, the Congress meeting chairman Julius Mtatiro said decisions reached on Sunday was in conformity of Section 117 (2) of the constitution requiring members to accept or reject the chairman’s resignation decision.

He said the party would not convene another meeting to discuss the issue, saying the next Congress meeting will be engaged in electing a new chairman, vice chairman and four zonal members.

“We are done with the first agenda. The supreme governing body will convene a meeting to appoint the interim leadership which will also be tasked to organize a fresh Congress meeting,” he told The Citizen in a telephone interview.

When deputy secretary general (Zanzibar), Nassor Ahmed Mazrui was reached for comment, he said the party leadership was yet to establish when the supreme governing body will be convened as members would wish to be relieved from the Sunday tensions.

A press statement signed by party’s director of information, publicity and public communications, Salim Bimani, said its leaders were committed to finalizing the process and that members and the general public will be informed of the progress.

“It’s important to note that our first important agenda has been fulfilled after members have voted in majority to accepted Prof Lipumba’s resignation application,” reads the statement in part.