Ukuta: Spotlight turns on registrar of parties

All eyes on him: Retired Judge Francis Mutungi faces heavy criticism from various quarters after his team postponed a crucial meeting to resolve the stalemate between the opposition and government to September 3 and 4, two days after Chadema’s planned anti-government protests. PHOTO I FILE

What you need to know:

On August 29, Retired Judge Francis Mutungi, the Registrar of Political Parties, announced that he had convened a meeting to resolve “political misunderstanding” with the CPP, a body that brings together all of the country’s 22 parties. It didn’t happen, thanks to the no-show by the major players.

Dar es Salaam. The failed bid by various players to ease political tension ahead of planned opposition-led anti-government protests tomorrow has drawn attention to the Council of Political Parties (CPP) – an advisory arm of the Registrar of Political Parties.
CPP now stands accused of dilly-dallying and letting the situation get out of hand after it pushed back a crucial meeting that could have brought together CCM, Chadema and the other key stakeholders before September 1 tomorrow – the day the opposition has code-named ‘Defiance Day’.
On August 29, Retired Judge Francis Mutungi, the Registrar of Political Parties, announced that he had convened a meeting to resolve “political misunderstanding” with the CPP, a body that brings together all of the country’s 22 parties. It didn’t happen, thanks to the no-show by the major players.
Later in the week, CPP acting chairman Vuai Ally Vuai said the meeting had to be pushed to September 3 and 4 because of “logistics challenges”, sparking a backlash from various quarters concerned about the escalating political tension in the country.
There are concerns that by not taking swift action, retired Judge Mutungi and his team have left the country at the risk of chaos, especially considering the fact that the main players in the feud have refused to compromise.
Prof Gaudance Mpangala of the Ruaha Catholic University (Rucu), took a swipe at the CPP this week, criticising it for delaying to intervene at the early stages of the unfolding crisis.
“May be Judge Mutungi didn’t take the issue seriously. But he has since realised the tension is growing, and now he has decided to use the only machinery his office is entrusted with to resolve the impasse,” he said in an interview with Political Platform.
He said the Council had the authority to resolve the dispute pitting the CCM government and security agencies on one hand, against the opposition Chadema on the other.     
“Even President Magufuli’s decision to ban rallies and demonstrations was supposed to be sent before the Council for stakeholders to debate and make decisions. He may have had good intentions but the proper channel was the Council of Political Parties. That is where he went wrong,” said Prof Mpangala.
Prof Bakari Mohamed of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) agrees. He said CPP had “unreasonably delayed” to intervene.
He said: “The CPP was established under the office of the Registrar of Political Parties. The Registrar was supposed to disagree with statements by the President, the Police and like-minded politicians from the beginning.”
 Established under Article 21B of Chapter 258 of the Political Parties Act, the Council, among other things, is tasked with advising the Registrar of Political Parties on disputes arising between political parties in the country.
Until last week when it called for the meeting that was largely snubbed by the main rivals in the current political drama, the Council seemed to have taken the back bench as the opposition fought running battles with the Police since the ban on rallies.
The Council has now come under fire just a day before the planned opposition protests, commonly known by the Kiswahili acronym Ukuta.
Apparently, the Registrar of Political Parties has let down many who believed his office, through the CPP, not only has the legal machinery but also the moral obligation to take the centre stage in every attempt that has been made to bring together the feuding parties and avert a possible crisis.   
A political analyst, Prof Kitila Mkumbo  said the Registrar had acted “irresponsibly” by not publicly condemning the government’s decision to defy the country’s laws.
Like many other commentators,  he, however, dismissed the “exaggerated notion” that the CPP could dance a different tune to that played by those that appointed the Registrar to the sensitive post.
“There is little possibility the Registrar, through the CPP, will resolve the dispute. Chadema should consider aborting Ukuta rallies and demonstrations and seek alternative means of resolving this,” said Prof Mkumbo.
Corroborating, University of Dar es Salaam lecturer Elijah Kondi told Political Platform this week that the Council would achieve nothing much as long as the ruling CCM was not ready to compromise.  
“The success of the Council greatly depends on the readiness of CCM to take part in the meetings,” he said.
He quickly pointed out that since mediation seems to be what Chadema is pushing for believing the outcome will be in its favour, he didn’t believe CCM would budge.   
“Chadema is not blaming the Registrar anymore, this time it is willing to take part in roundtable discussions without conditions, signifying a major shift in its stance, but I don’t see CCM being dragged to that table,” he said.
Early this month, the ruling party snubbed a meeting organised by the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRGG) to resolve the stalemate. The Attorney General (AG), Mr George Masaju, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ernest Mangu, also skipped the meeting.
Only Chadema secretary general Vincent Mashinji, Registrar of Political Parties and managing director of the Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD) Daniel Loya, showed up.
Since then, the crisis has only escalated. The opposition vowed to ignore the ban while the Police went on to ban internal political meetings citing a plot to destabilise the country.
In banning internal political meetings recently, the Police made reference to the plot saying no party would be allowed to hold any political meeting.
On various occasions, CCM spokesperson Christopher Ole Sendeka has accused Chadema of violating the law and attempting to disrupt peace.