Chadema expells four rebel MPs, others' fate pending
What you need to know:
The four MPs who were expelled refused to take heed of the directive by the Party to boycott parliamentary sessions due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania's main opposition party Chadema has today expelled four Members of parliament from the party and directed other MPs to explain as to why further actions should not be taken against them.
The four MPs who have been expelled from the party are: Anthony Komu (Moshi Rural), Joseph Selasini (Rombo), David Silinde (Momba), and Wilfred Lwakatare (Bukoba Urban).
The decision comes following the recent directive by the party’s national Chairman, Freeman Mbowe requiring Chadema MPs to boycott parliamentary sessions and committees over coronavirus infection threats.
Mr Mbowe also instructed party members to refrain from going close to parliamentary buildings in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam over similar concerns.
Further Mr Mbowe told The Citizen this week that the MPs had violated the party’s joint decision - and that the relevant party organs would discuss and decide on the issue accordingly.
Briefing the media today Monday, May 11, of the resolutions of the party's executive committee, which sat for two days , to discuss among other thing, the fate of MPs who disobeyed the order, the party’s secretary general John Mnyika reveled the decision to expell the quartet.
He said despite MPs, Anthony Komu and Joseph Selasini having lost their credentials as members of Chadema, they had continued to make derogatory and disrespectful statements against the party as well as violating party orders.
“The Party has decided to expel these four MPs and it has also directed the secretary-general to write a letter of notification to the Speaker of the National Assembly,” he said.
Regarding other members of parliament who have disobeyed the party's instructions, but have not shown improper discipline or have not defied the party, including one member of the executive committee, Mariam Msabaha, the committee decided that they should explain why further action should not be taken against them.
These are: Susan Masele, Joyce Sokombi, Latifa Chande, Jafari Michael, Swale Semesi, Lucy Mloe, Peter Lijualikali, Wile Kambalo and Rose Kamili.
