Chadema: Dark clouds gather over special seats drama

Parliament speaker Job Ndugai swore in special seats Chadema Members of Parliament (MPs) last Tuesday. Depending on where one stands, this news shocked some who saw the new MPs as “traitors” to Chadema and those who supported it in the just concluded general election. Others view this political development as nothing more than hypocrisy on both Chadema and these MPs because they are disputing the process and the outcome of the general election.

Chadema’s secretary general John Mnyika said their party is “investigating” what exactly happened, claiming that their party had not sent any names to the National Electoral Commission (NEC). Halima Mdee, one of those MPs who were sworn in, in her remarks was fully aware of the controversies surrounding them being in Dodoma and went to great length to stress that they had their party’s blessings and that them being part of this parliament was just a small part of their party’s “huge win” in the general election.

Ms Mdee was telling critics and those shocked or disappointed by their decision to join parliament that it was not done with self-interests of the individuals but was based on their party’s interests especially at a time when their message will not get across with them shouting online or outside the corridors of political power.

Without a doubt, there are those who will view this latest political move as one where Chadema aimed for their own foot, something which has been with us a number of times for some years now. The decision to be part of parliament is a very pragmatic one, but given the controversy of the exact circumstances which led to those individuals being MPs, it is not at the top of the pile of Chadema’s concerns for now.

The heavy political losses Chadema suffered in the general election and the statements issued to address what they termed was not an election for both “domestic and external standards” poised a messy quagmire for them.

Hardliners do not want anything to do with the current government and the parliament in Dodoma while centrists point out the pragmatic side of Chadema joining the current political reality. Can these two sides reach a workable arrangement? That remains to be seen.

The exact circumstances of how the names of the new MPs ended where they are now will throw up various outcomes. One of the problematic aspects of it is that some of these special seats MPs are “bona fide” opposition politicians making it difficult for them to be casually accused or labeled as “sellouts” but that will not prevent a schism within Chadema and might cast a long shadow for those who are involved and their future in the party.

These special seats MPs have already been disowned by Chadema and this will certainly put them in a very awkward position and throw up a scenario like the one CUF experienced with its special seats MPs, but the circumstances between the two parties are different, hence the outcomes are unlikely to be the same.

If Chadema decided to embrace the MPs, where would that have left some of the officials like its secretary general who has been the face of the party’s response to this political storm?

Mr Mnyika has been consistent in his statements regarding the names of possible special seats MPs from their party.

It will not be surprising if a letter or some other document surfaces providing some sort of “proof” on the side of the MPs.

There is another possible scenario for all that is happening within Chadema. Could this be indicative of power struggles behind the scenes? The unfolding political drama is another indication of how opaque decision making processes are in our opposition political parties.

Regardless of how this latest self-generated controversy concludes, it does not strengthen Chadema in any way. Instead, it leads to more questions whose answers will raise more doubts.

It seems the next five years are starting the way the last five years did for the opposition.

There are dark clouds gathering or perhaps they never cleared in the first place.

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