Tanzanians living in the UK protest outside the Tanzanian High Commission in London yesterday, calling on an end of the Zanzibar political stalemate. PHOTO| COURTESY OF ASSOCIATION OF ZANZIBAR’S LIVING IN LONDON
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Dar es Salaam. Some political as well as legal experts have raised their concern over the prospect of the Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein accompanying President John Magufuli to inaugurate the Parliament today. If that were to happens, it would be unconstitutional, they say.
This comes just a day after the opposition camp vowed not to let Dr Shein to enter Parliament as President of Zanzibar since his tenure of office ended on November 2.
The Opposition also wrote to the Speaker of National Assembly, Mr Job Ndugai, for clarification on the legality of President Magufuli’s intention to address the Parliament at a time when Zanzibar is facing a political crisis.
Some stakeholders who spoke to The Citizen in a round of interviews yesterday, they agreed in principal that Dr Shein shouldn’t escort Dr Magufuli to the august House today because doing so would be a violation of the Constitution.
National coordinator of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC), Mr Onesmo Olengurumwa, said Dr Ali Mohammed Shein ended his five-year term as President since November 3rd, according to the Zanzibar Constitution.
According to him, Dr Shein would have been allowed to escort dr Magufuli to the Parliament only if there would have been Zanzibar President-elect, who was waiting to be sworn in.
Mr Harold Sungusia, director of Advocacy and Reform at Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), however, said the issue shouldn’t be about the absence or presence of Dr Shein during the inauguration of 11th Parliament because the Constitution allows Union President to inaugurate or address the Parliament even in Zanzibar President’s absence.
Mr Sungusia added that according to the composition of the Union Parliament, the President of Zanzibar is not part of the Union Assembly.
However, Mr Olengurumwa said although the law allows President Magufuli to address the Parliament without Zanzibar President, under normal procedures since Union President work with Zanzibar President, Dr Magufuli is supposed to introduce President of Zanzibar to the Parliament.
A veteran politician, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, said, “Constitutionally, Dr Shein is not allowed to enter the Parliament.”
On Wednesday, opposition MPs vowed that they would not let President Magufuli inaugurate Parliament without being accompanied by the “legally elected” Zanzibar President.
