Mkapa reelected as Karume takes Zanzibar’s top office

Dar es Salaam. Benjamin William Mkapa was sworn-in on November 9, 2000 as president of the United Republic Tanzania after emerging victorious in the General Election.

After being sworn-in, it took President Mkapa hardly a week to appoint his Prime Minister.

However, article 51(2) of the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania requires president-elect to appoint a Prime Minister “within 14 days” and the latter must be an elected Member of Parliament from a constituency.

And again the would-be-appointed Prime Minister of the United Republic is required to be from a political party with a big number of Members of Parliament and if that party has no many MPs, the former is required to have a big support from the latter.

There were a lot of speculations across the country about who would be appointed Prime Minister. However, those speculations came to an end on November 17 when President Mkapa reappointed Frederick Sumaye.

Mr Sumaye’s appointment was declared in Parliament by Speaker Pius Msekwa, who had presented his name before the august House to endorse it, according to the country’s constitution.

Before votes were cast to elect Prime Minister, then Attorney General Andrew Chenge and Njombe North MP Jackson Makweta showered praise on Mr Sumaye, saying he was a hard worker, who deserved to continue holding the position.

Of 252 votes cast, 248 were voted for Mr Sumaye, three votes were against him while one vote was spoiled.

Following Mr Sumaye’s endorsement, Chief Whip Thomas Ngawaiya said they decided to vote for him so that they could squeeze him with questions over the statements he made and acts he did against the opposition in the first phase of President Mkapa’s administration.

Mr Sumaye’s appointment was made barely two days after President Amani Abeid Karume had appointed Shamsi Vuai Nahodha the Chief Minister of Zanzibar on November 15.

President Amani Abeid Karume also appointed Iddi Pandu Hassan the Attorney General of Zanzibar and as well Mohamed Abdulrahman the Secretary of the Revolutionary Council of Zanzibar.

Mr Shamsi was chosen a member of the House of Representatives for the Mwera Constituency in Urban West Region.

After one week of the Chief Minister’s appointment, on November 22, President Karume announced Zanzibar’s Cabinet that contained 12 ministries instead of 14.

President Karume merged some ministries and put the ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs under his office. The ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs was supervised by Suleiman Nyanga, who was appointed minister of State in the President’s Office. Prior to his new docket, Mr Nyanga had served at the customs department before being nominated a member of the House of Representatives by President Karume.

The others who entered the House of Reps included Salim Juma Othman (minister of State in the Chief Minister’s Office), Dr Ali Mohamed Shein (minister of State in the President’s Office, Constitution and Good Governance), Ali Abdallah Ali (minister in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and SMZ forces), Zubeir Ali Maulid (Communications and Transport) and Samia Suluhu Hassan (Employment, Youth Development, Women and Children).

The House of Reps also had Mohamed Aboud Mohamed (minister for Trade, Industry, Marketing and Tourism), Mussa Ame Silima (minister for Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Cooperatives), Dr Mwinyihaji Makame (minister for Health and Social Welfare), Burhani Haji Saadat (minister for Water, Works, Energy and Lands) and Harun Ali Suleiman (minister for Education, Culture and Sports).

Six days after Sumaye was appointed Prime Minister, President Mkapa announced his Cabinet that had 19 new faces as four former ministers were left out.

While at the State House grounds, President Mkapa said he had appointed a Cabinet that was in line with CCM’s manifesto and his statements that he made during his presidential campaigns. President Mkapa said he decided to lead the ministry of Regional Administration and Local Government so that he could closely monitor its changes that were made.

The head of the state said the ministry would continue to be headquartered in Dodoma, where it was shifted and directed the ministry of Cooperatives and Marketing and the ministry of Water and Livestock Development to relocate to Dodoma too by July 1, 2001.

Those who were dropped from the new Cabinet included Jackson Makweta, former minister of State in the President’s Office, Public Service; Paul Kimiti, former minister for Labour and Youth Development; Ernest Nyanda, former minister for Communications and Transport; Aaron Chiduo, former Health minister; Ali Ameir Mohamed and Bakari Mbonde, former ministers of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.

President Mkapa named the ministers, who were under his office as including Brig Gen Hassan Ngwilizi (Regional Administration and Local Government), Wilson Masilingi (Good Governance) and Abdallah Kigoda (State, Planning and Privatisation).

The appointed ministers under the Office of Vice President were Daniel Yona and Arcado Ntagazwa, who was a new face in the Cabinet.

The Office of Prime Minister was placed under two ministers, William Lukuvi and Omari Ramadhan Mapuri, who was Zanzibar’s Deputy Chief Minister.

Dr John Pombe Magufuli was promoted to becoming the full minister for Works while Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete was left to lead the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Anna Abdallah was moved to lead the Health ministry.

Pius Ng’wandu continued to be minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education while the ministry of Energy and Minerals was under Edgar Maokola Majogo.

President Mkapa created the ministry of Agriculture and Food, whose appointed minister was Ubungo MP Charles Keenja.

Prof Philemon Sarungi was appointed minister for Defence while Prof Juma Kapuya was appointed minister for Youth Development and Sports. Mohamed Seif Khatib continued to be minister for Home Affairs while Prof Mark Mwandosya was appointed minister for Communications and Transport.

Edward Lowassa was shifted to lead the new ministry of Water while the Finance ministry was led by Rombo MP Basil Mramba.

Bakari Mwapachu continued to be minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs while Gideon Cheyo continued to be minister for Lands.

Mufindi MP Joseph Mungai was appointed Education minister while Idd Simba and Zakia Meghji continued to hold their previous ministerial positions.

Mr Simba led the ministry of Trade and Industry while Meghji was in charge of the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

The other new face in the Cabinet was Dr Asha Rose Migiro, who was appointed minister for Community Development, Women and Children.

President Mkapa also appointed George Kahama minister for Cooperatives and Marketing. Kahama once served the first phase administration of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

President Mkapa also appointed 16 deputy minister including Abdisalaam Issa Khatibu and Prof Crispin Hauli (Finance), Tatu Ntimizi (Lands), Bujiku Sakila (Education), Hezekiel Chibulunje (Cooperatives and Marketing), Dr Ibrahim Msabaha (Energy and Minerals) and Capt John Chiligati (Home Affairs).

The other deputy ministers appointed by President Mkapa were Muhidhir Muhidhir (Labour, Youth Development and Sports), Zabein Mhita (Science, Technology and Higher Education), Dr Faustine Limbu (Water and Livestock Development) and Mizengo Kayanza Pinda (Regional Administration).

Also making the list of deputy ministers were Mwenegoha Hamza Abdallah (Works), Dr Hussein Mwinyi (Health), Shamim Khan (Women and Children), Anthony Dialo (Industry and Trade), Maua Daftari (Communications and Transport) and Prof Pius Mbalawa (Agriculture and Food).

President Mkapa also nominated Abdallah Fundikira, who was Tanganyika’s first justice minister, to become an MP.

The other who were nominated MPs were Brig Gen Hassan Ngwilizi, Ramadhani Mapuri, Anne Kilango and Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru.

Although the 2000 General Election was already held and the two governments formed to start work, things were not well in Zanzibar after 89 days of the polls as a bloodbath was shed on the islands.

In tomorrow’s edition we are going to focus on chaos that erupted on January 26 and 29, 2000, causing a series of events towards the October 2000 polls.