Drama follows Mtikila even in death as Dar bids farewell

Dar es Salaam. As it was during his lifetime, drama, it seems, had to follow the Rev Christopher Mtikila to the grave.

The departed chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) was a maverick politician who did not shy away from courting controversy. His outspokenness often made those in authority uncomfortable.

And yesterday, his kind of theatrics would be the highlight of the ceremony to celebrate his life as national leaders and ordinary citizen converged in Dar es Salaam to pay their last respects to the politician who died in a road accident on Sunday.

Mtikila’s DP party deputy chairman Peter Magwira used the occasion to throw political barbs, enumerating several scandals that he said had enriched a few and impoverished millions of Tanzanians.

While acknowledging the government’s participation in helping the party to give a dignified sendoff to Mtikila, Mr Magwira would go on to give a curt, stinging speech that forced some organisers to cut him short.

He spoke in the presence of national leaders including the Vice President, Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, and Zanzibar First Vice President Mr Seif Sharif Hamad who were in attendance. President Jakaya Kikwete also attended to pay his respect but left before Mr Magwira launched his tirade.

He said Mtikila was irreplaceable and declared that DP would continue to fight for what he stood for.

“We still have our feet to fight for Tanganyika as you can see his casket is covered in the Tanganyika flag,” he said. Things hotted up when he started to lament about the state of the economy and corruption. He said a few people in government were colluding with corrupt local and international businessmen to rob the country.

He wondered why individuals said to have stashed illegal funds in Switzerland were not named and arrested. Murmurs among the mourners grew louder as he went on: “The same officials use the same money to buy leadership positions as we saw recently when Sh720 million was found before being splashed on delegates during the nomination of the CCM candidate for the presidency.”

Mr Magwira claimed public officials had grabbed huge tracts of land in Kilosa and Mvomero, displacing farmers and lifestock keepers.

He could not, however, continue for long as two people approached him and whispered in his ears before he declared: “Rev Mtikila’s crusade will not be abandoned.” He then sat down.

Earlier, Kikwete arrived at the Karimjee grounds in the afternoon and left after 10 minutes.

Speakers described Mtikila who will be buried today in Njombe as a valiant political figure who stood for what he believed and fought for the rights of the weak.

Dr Bilal said Mtikila’s contribution in the multi-party development was proof that Tanzanians of all shades of opinion could work and cexists peacefully. “Mtikila firmly fought for what he believed and that’s the kind of a nation we want, a country that allows people with different ideas to come together and work for the good of every individual and nation as a whole,” Said Dr Bilal.

Mr Hamad said Mtikila was never ashamed to make his views known and pursued his belief to the end.

Mourners urged the government to investigate claims of foul play in the accident in Msolwa village in Chalinze that killed him.