Tanzania: Parliament hits hard on Arusha MP Lema

What you need to know:

  • The committee wants Mr Lema to be suspended over his ‘weak Bunge’ remarks which he uttered on Tuesday in support of Kawe MP, Halima Mdee (Chadema), who has been suspended from attending two seatings.

Dodoma. The parliament has suspended Arusha MP Mr Godbless Lema (Chadema) from attending three consecutive meetings over his ‘weak parliament’ remarks.

This comes after the parliamentary Privileges, Ethics and Powers Committee tabled its report in parliament today Thursday April 4.

Mr Lema appeared before the committee yesterday, where he was grilled for over two hours.

The committee’s resolution was tabled in the parliament yesterday by its chairman Mr Emmanuel Mwakasaka (Tabora-CCM).

Mwakasaka told the parliament that the committee proposes the suspension should start with immediate effect.

The MPs unanimously passed the committee’s resolution with immediate effect.

This means that Mr Lema will miss the ongoing budget meeting, the September’s as well as the November seating.

In a related development the Speaker of the National Assembly Job Ndugai also warned opposition MPs who staged a walk out when the committee was staging its report not to speak to the media and attend Bunge session for the rest of the day.

This followed his ‘weak Bunge remarks’ which he uttered in support of Kawe Member of Parliament, Ms Halima Mdee (Chadema) after she was suspended by parliament over similar remarks.

Mr Lema on Tuesday defended the Kawe representative, saying she was right in her assessment that Parliament was weak.