Kubenea, Komu apologize to Chadema over misconduct

Dar es Salaam. Opposition Chadema has found its two Members of Parliament guilty of acts that undermined the party’s constitution, procedures and protocols.

The revelation comes almost twenty two hours after Chadema’s Central Committee, which sat for its extraordinary meeting with only one agenda on the table: to summon its two Members of Parliament, Saed Kubenea (Ubungo) and Anthony Komu (Moshi Rural).

The duo have recently been at the centre of discussions both within and outside the party for what is alleged to be their voice in a clip that went viral on social media whereby the two were conniving a plan to harm Ubungo Mayor Boniphace Jacob (Chadema), among other things.

It was Jacob who sent the matter for discussion to the party’s CC at the time when both Kubenea and Komu have been denying any responsibility for the clip calling it as something that has been “made up”.

The Citizen saw both Komu and Kubenea attending the CC meeting for interrogation on the matter, which took place at the city’s Bahari Beach Hotel yesterday, October 17, 2018.

It was Komu who was first called to appear before the meeting which comprised of the party’s top brass. Later, Kubenea took his turn.

The sessions took many hours and appeared to tough as evidenced by the physical conditions in which the members were seen: exhaustion and lack of interest in anything. Neither Komu nor Kubenea was willing to take questions yesterday from reporters who had camped at the hotel.

But speaking with reporters today, October 18, 2018, Chadema’s deputy secretary general (Mainland) John Mnyika said that after both Kubenea na Komu were given an opportunity to offer explanations on the ‘clip’, the party’s CC found that the two responsible with it and the voices heard on it were actually theirs.

Mr Mnyika said that the clip amounted to “undisciplinary content against the party’s constitution, ethics and procedures and protocols.”

Following that, the party’s CC took a four-point deliberation on the matter. These were: the two were given a stern warning for what they did and were instructed to write to the party to ask for forgiveness for the matter.

The two will also be under a one year-observation period to see if they will live up to their commitment.

Both Kubenea and Komu also have been stripped off all their positions in the party except their being Members of Parliament.

Mr Mnyika said that the punishments meted out were in line with the party’s constitution and were intended “to act as deterrent to anyone who would like to do the same.”

For his part, Mr Kubenea called the ‘clip’ an “unfortunate” thing and that they had “no bad intention” while asking for forgiveness from anyone “who might have been hurt by [what happened.]”

The same was consistent in Komu’s statement of apology who went further saying that “because we recognise our positions as the party’s apparatuses [and thus] we consent to the party’s decisions.”

Mr Mnyika cast doubts among the party’s members and supporters saying that conflicts are common in any political outfit.

“What is needed,” said Mr Mnyika assuredly, “is that whenever these conflicts happen the party takes necessary actions to ensure they are resolve in line with [the party’s] constitution and regulations.”