Tanzania: Opposition refuses to table ‘redacted’ Home Affairs shadow budget speech in Parliament
What you need to know:
- Mr Msigwa said the speech that the chair was directing him to read didn’t reflect Opposition camp’s views on Home Affairs.
Dodoma. The Opposition camp in Parliament on Wednesday, April 24 refused to table ‘altered’ alternative budget on the Home Affairs ministry.
Iringa Urban MP Peter Msigwa (Chadema) who had had been scheduled to table the shadow budget on behalf of Home Affairs shadow minister Godbless Lema told the august House that the speech they prepared and submitted to the office of Speaker and which they were told to read had a number of issues omitted.
How the drama unfolded
Mr Msigwa ascended the podium on the house floor and started reading the original speech that had been prepared by the Opposition camp in Parliament.
But soon enough the Presiding Officer of the House, Mr Andrew Chenge, intervened directing him to read the speech that came from the office of Speaker.
Mr Msigwa disagreed with Mr Chenge’s order, saying the speech that he wanted him to read had been heavily redacted and that it was the content of the original speech that he was reading that should be recorded in the Hansard.
He insisted that he should continue reading the original speech, a plea, which was turned down by Mr Chenge.
“The speech you are directing me to read is contrary to the Opposition’s views. I better not read it,” said Mr Msigwa.
