Fears on proposed amendment of Political Parties Act allayed

Dar es Salaam. A member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling CCM party, Mariam Mungula, has allayed fears about a Parliamentary Bill setting out to amend the Political Parties Act, saying it  the proposed amendments do not aim at killing opposition parties.

Ms Mungula made the statement in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, January 17, 2019, when members of the party in power were giving their views about the Bill which has been formally opposed by several opposition parties in the country.

“This is not correct at all. Our country is already a multi-party Democracy, and this will not be the first time for the legislation to be changed. It has been amended several times in the past, and this will be the seventh time it is being amended – if the Bill sails through Parliament,” she said.

“So, the question off saying that if the Act amended, it will kill multi-partysm is a misguided belief,” Ms Mungula stressed.

“Such statements are made to cause fear. Refute such statements whenever you hear them. There have been complaints that the Act, if amended, will create a number of punishable offences. Is there a law without punishment?” the MP asked rather rhetorically.