| Why 6th Bunge session seen as costly to CCM | Send to a friend |
| Wednesday, 22 February 2012 11:16 |
 By Frank KimboyThe Political Platform Reporter Dar es Salaam. One expects to see Members of Parliament on a ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ticket jockeyed into enacting laws whenever they converge in Dodoma for their national Assembly sessions. The 6th Parliament session, however, seemed to have for the first time spared viewers from the tradition, as the National Assembly wound without MPS on the CCM ticket toeing much in their opposition counterparts’ line. The MPs’ attempt to stand for national interests regardless of the wishes of their political parties though ushered in maturity of the House, some political pundits see the move as defiance among the CCM MPs and unhealthy for the ruling party’s destiny. The CCM Ideology and Publicity secretary, Mr Nape Nnauye, however, maintains that all is well with the party. Since inauguration of the 10th Parliament in November 2010, MPs have been trading words if not insults, as others walked out of the debate chamber in disagreement. For the first time, the lawmakers put their parties’ differences apart and reacted in the same spirit and letter to key bills and motions tabled by the government and fellow MPs during the 6th session. Finance and Economic Affairs minister Mustapha Mkulo and Attorney General Justice Francis Werema, greatly suffered from the lawmakers’ sudden harmony as the Simanjaro MP, Mr Christopher Ole Sendeka, observed in the House. The majority of MPs on the CCM ticket, who used to unanimously support bills regardless of upsetting flaws during previous meetings, joined forces with their opposition counterparts and turned down draft laws tabled and defended by the duo in the House. The MPs punched numerous holes on the decision to reduce tariff imposed on bottled and packed mineral water as Mkulo proposed. Werema met a similar fate when MPs cited several weaknesses to the bill on The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments (No 2) Act of 2011. The CCM and opposition lawmakers nodded in unison to a private motion by their Bumburi counterpart on the CCM ticket, Mr January Makamba. Mr Makamba’s motion sought to regulate real estate business in a bid to prevent inconsiderate landlords and agents from exploiting hapless tenants. The 10th Parliament MPs’ historic spirit and letter also saw the controversial Constitutional Review Act 2011 sail through in the House. It will certainly go down the lawmaking organ history lane that the Official Opposition had for the first time endorsed a government proposal along with their CCM counterparts during the meeting. But analysts hint that all is not well with CCM despite the House activities running smoothly before the viewers. There was more than met the eye, they observe, citing some crucial decisions made during the CCM high level meetings held immediately after the House session. Although it is not the first time MPs on the CCM ticket teamed up with their opposition counterparts and turned down a government bill; turn of events in the House spells danger to the ruling party, a political analyst based in Dodoma, Mr Paul Loisulie, says. “The MPs demanding for an audience with Mr Kikwete and the CCM national chairman’s response to them that they were free to back or oppose bills in the House are the most worrisome developments within the party,” he says, adding: “They obviously show that a war has been waged between the lawmakers and their party, which is unhealthy for the CCM’s destiny,” he cautions. The lawmakers on the CCM ticket sought an audience with their national chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete, to air their grievances over his failure to consult them beforehand on the Constitutional Review Act 2011 amendment. Well placed sources say Mr Kikwete met five representatives of the lawmakers and blatantly told them to exercise their constitutional right of either voting in favour or against the bill. Although the MPs on the ruling party ticket reluctantly voted in favour of the amendment of the law review Act as proposed by the government and other stakeholders, analysts maintain that unless their grievances are resolved, the lawmakers would live to settle scores. Some of the decisions made by the CCM National Executive Council (NEC) after the 6th National Assembly meeting had actually rubbed salt in the lawmakers’ wound, they say, citing the resolution to bar MPs from vying for NEC membership. Mr Loisulie fears the resolution would weaken CCM, as it would further divide one of the East Africa’s longest serving political party. “As long as MP will not attend the CCM NEC meetings, they will always be wary of affecting their interests in the organ,” he explains. But Mr Nnauye defends his party’s decision to lock lawmakers out of NEC saying the resolution did not specifically target them. “Why on earth would one sympathise with MPs alone while councillors, regional district chairmen and others too have been locked out of the organ,” he queries. A lecturer with the University of Dar es Salaam Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Dr Alexander Makulilo, echoes Mr Loisulie’s sentiments saying the CCM NEC resolution was tantamount to fueling rebellion among the lawmakers. “Barring MPs from one of the party’s highest decision-making organ will weaken loyalty to the party among them, I am afraid. “It is a costly disincentive, as MPs will no longer strongly stand for decisions reached during the CCM’s high level meetings in the House as was the case before the NEC resolution,” he speculates. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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