Ukawa may return to Katiba Assembly

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD) is keen on negotiating a deal that will see opposition parties return to the Constituent Assembly. The umbrella organisation brings together all 22 registered political parties.

TCD chairperson Peter Kuga Mziray told journalists yesterday that the stalemate at the CA is no secret. He added: “We have until August for the CA to resume and one thing is clear--the future of the CA depends on reconciliation between the rival sides now, before we go back in there. We have no choice but to negotiate and that is why we have an organisation like TCD.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Chama cha Mapinduzi Secretary for Ideology and Mobilisation Nape Nnauye told journalists in Dodoma that CCM’s Central Committee met recently and ruled out negotiations with the main opposition parties under the umbrella of the Coalition of Defenders of the People’s Constitution (Ukawa) on their fate in the CA.

Howevr, TCD Chairperson and CCM Deputy Secretary (Zanzibar) Vuai Ali Vuai told this paper that CCM’s CC resolutions are not binding on the TCD.

He added: “These are two separate organs. And what the CCM’s CC has come up with doesn’t stop us from opening a road to reconciliation. We are sure CCM and even Ukawa will welcome our resolution and they will agree to work on their differences. We are here in pursuit of the way forward,” he said.

TCD was holding a day-long meeting in the city yesterday to deliberate on the CA and the resolutions will be made public today.

Earlier, disgruntled members accused their leaders of discussing the President’s speech out of context. Mr Mziray said: “That was a case of misunderstanding. We presented to them the speech the President made to TCD before the beginning of CA and he categorically told us to be flexible and ready to negotiate in case we hit a stalemate in the CA,” said Mr Mziray. “We wanted it to be a preamble in our bid.”