Leaders meet to discuss peace ahead of elections

Dar es Salaam. A cross-section of past and present leaders converged yesterday in Dar es Salaam for a two-day meeting to discuss peace and unity ahead of the October General Election.

The leaders, who included politicians, clerics, retired state officials, elders and members of civil society, were brought together by the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation (MNF). Organisers said the meeting was aimed at forging common ground that would ensure peace during transition from the fourth to fifth phase governments later this year.  

MNF executive secretary Joseph Butiku told journalists that at the end of the two-day forum, they would come up with a memorandum on what needs to be done to preserve peace before, during and after the elections.

“As current and past leaders, we will also propose how our beloved country can go back to the strong foundations that were built by its founding fathers, led by Mwalimu Nyerere,” he said after the official opening of the meeting.

Those in attendance included Zanzibar First Vice President Seif Shariff Hamad and former prime ministers Salim Ahmed Salim, Frederick Sumaye and Joseph Warioba.  Dr Salim is also chairman of MNF. Political party representatives included CUF chairman Ibrahim Lipumba, Chadema Secretary-General Willibrod Slaa, NCCR-Mageuzi chairman James Mbatia and ACT-Wazalendo chairperson Anna Mghwira.

Also in attendance were former speaker Pius Msekwa, Brigadier General (rtd) Francis Mbena, who represented elders; Tanzania Episcopal Conference president Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa and  Prof Mwesiga Baregu, a former member of the now-disbanded Constitutional Review Commission.

Mr Butiku said Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda and Zanzibar Second Vice President Seif Ali Idd were invited, but could not attend due to other engagements.

There was no senior CCM official in attendance with reports saying the  ruling party’s secretary-general, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, was busy preparing for Central Committee and National Executive Committee meetings in Dodoma.

The meeting was expected to set the tone for leaders ahead of intra-party nominations and campaigns for the elections, with a warning that there were signs the country was at risk of dangerous divisions in the run-up to the elections.

Dr Salim, Mr Butiku and Brig Gen Mbena spoke in public before delegates held closed-door discussions so that they could air their views freely.

“We all need to understand that this country is made up of people of various religious beliefs and political inclinations.  We, as leaders, have a duty to unite them as done in the past by our founding fathers,” Mr Butiku said.

He added that the killing of albinos and elderly people, raids on police stations, land conflicts and misuse of public resources were worrying developments that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

He also mentioned the use of excessive force by security agencies, religious intolerance, corruption and flagrant and widespread violation of leadership ethics.

For his part, Dr Salim said it was the duty of all Tanzanians, especially those in positions of authority, to ensure peace is maintained in the country.

“When peace is linked to the founder of this nation, Mwalimu Nyerere, it changes from being just an agenda to a national responsibility,” he said. The former prime minister added that  when peace was lost, nobody would be spared as there would be no time for worship or politics. He said it was time the nation and its leaders looked back and see where the country went astray as far as the foundations laid by the founding fathers were concerned.

In his remarks, Prof Lipumba said justice for all was the main foundation of peace in any country, adding that he was disappointed that CCM and government leaders had chosen to skip the meeting.

“This is an election year, and it is time that we all sat down as leaders and see how we can overcome challenges we are facing such  as voter registration and others,” he said.

Brig Gen Mbena said it was sad to see the nation slowly losing its identity as a haven of peace and elders being disrespected.  He asked religious leaders to came together regardless of their beliefs and condemned this state of affairs.  “I’m a retired army officer  who was involved in war and headed various brigades, but I’m receiving a pension of Sh50,000 per month.  Someone of the same rank who retires today gets Sh800,000 per month. This is the disrespect we are talking about today,” he said.