National interest shouldn’t be excuse for defying rules

Mbarouk-Tabora

We need to remove barriers in all issues touching national interests, such as representation in the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), and instead focus on candidate credentials.

This will prevent a few selfish politicians from using their influence to protect their own political interests as witnessed in the country’s election for Eala representatives recently in the National Assembly.

During the election, Chama Cha Mapinduzi legislators used gender, tribalism and religious equality as excuses for voting out and against some of the most competent and experienced opposition candidates for the Eala legislature.

At a time when we agree that the country needs competent people to push its agenda in the regional assembly we allowed petty issues to blur the bigger picture. I think we need to grow out of such negative tendencies, and be able to understand when and where to put aside our political differences for the good of the nation. How do you justify preferring a novice to represent the country in such a regional gathering as Eala to a more experienced, more educated person?

Abdul Uledi-Mtwara

What happened in Parliament the other day is a shame, and our MPs should know when to draw the line on matters that are of national interest. It’s sad that we have MPs in the National Assembly who put their petty personal and party interests ahead of national development.

Apparently, CCM MPs used their majority in the National Assembly to demonstrate their power and influence by rejecting opposition candidates without considering their qualifications and competence. The question now is, will those who were picked against the odds be able to deliver in promoting and defending the country’s interests in Eala? Posterity will judge the MPs who chose these candidates. The reality is that competition against Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan will be tough because MPs from these countries are also out to protect their countries’ interests.

Sosthenes Njovu-Arusha

The opposition should learn to walk its talk on democracy. During their rallies, opposition leaders have always been preaching democracy but behind closed doors, they resort and subscribe to autocratic rule and principles. What did they expect in this case? Just to have Parliament be a rubber stamp that legitimises an illegitimate internal process? They violated rules in picking candidates, and they deserved that kind of punishment. There is never an excuse for lawlessness.

Chadema endorsed candidates through a flawed process. They shot themselves in the foot, and they clearly have no one else but themselves to blame for his situation. They are not immune to criticism.