Chadema boycott of Bunge sessions draws reactions

Dar es Salaam. Political commentators yesterday had mixed views over Chadema’s decision to boycott parliamentary budget sessions due to Covid-19, claiming that the disease was a threat to lawmakers.
The decision not to attend parliamentary sessions was announced by the party’s national chairman, Freeman Mbowe, who also directed the parliamentarians to refrain from going close to Parliament’s buildings in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam to avoid infections.
Chadema, the country’s main opposition party, also instructed its lawmakers to self-quarantine for 14 days and avoid visiting their constituencies. They should stay in Dodoma until when proven safe or abide by other formal instructions.
“The party has continued to receive with deep sadness the deaths of parliamentarians and other Tanzanians as the deadly virus continues to spread…we urge our lawmakers to self-isolate for not less than 14 days,” reads part of a statement.
And, yesterday, some political commentators supported the decision while others criticized it.
A political science lecturer at the University of Dodoma (Udom), Dr Godfrey Sansa, applauded Chadema for taking a bold decision because there was a wanting response by the government to combat the rapidly spreading virus. “I commend Chadema for making a bold decision because if your opinions are ignored and you are still with them is tantamount to lacking seriousness,” he said in a telephone interview.
He noted that proposals issued by opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) including those contained in Mr Mbowe’s public address fell into deaf ears.
“Through this decision, Chadema has provided an alternative leadership and this is what should have been done in the first place,” he said.
According to him, the opposition party wished to see leadership commitment and clear strategies in addressing the problem. Dr Sansa said Chadema was also concerned with a slow mobilisation of collective efforts to bring together retired health practitioners and academicians to help show the way in stemming the tide of the malady.
“Some colleagues from Zanzibar shared what they thought could be the best way to fight the spreading coronavirus, but my concern is, there is no mitigation strategies,” he said.
He said protection of leaders, parliamentarians and the general public against the disease was of paramount importance for both CCM and the opposition to debate for the interest of the country.
A political science lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dr Richard Mbunda, criticised Chadema for the decision, saying they were supposed to continue fighting inside the debating chamber. “The boycott demonstrates that they have failed to convince the Parliament. They should have debated and reach a consensus, which would save Tanzanians lives, in the House,” he said.
Dr Sansa: “We expected them to maintain solidarity using formal parliamentary committees because the virus affects all legislators regardless of political affiliations.”
According to him, Chadema was supposed to table proposals of budgetary allocation at the parliament if they wanted the government to fight the deadly novel virus effectively and efficiently.
“The priority should be serving lives. Everything currently done in Parliament including passing budgets for implementing development projects are meaningless if deaths keep increasing,” he said.
For his part, a senior political science lecturer at Ruaha Catholic University (Rucu), Prof Gaudence Mpangala, said Chadema’s decision pressed for serious government measures in fighting the killer virus.
He cautioned stakeholders to stop politicking and instead adopt apt  measures regardless of political affiliations.