The ruling CCM and the Opposition: An intriguing relationship

We were reminded once again of the ever fluid nature of the relationship between the ruling party and opposition parties. Those who are cynical about politics can be forgiven as this week gave them a heavy dose to continue staying away from politics as much as is possible. However, they are missing the point. Let’s start from the beginning.

In a show of bipartisan support the day started in the august House in Dodoma with parliamentarians from both sides of the political divide gave a rapturous welcome to former president Jakaya Kikwete when he accompanied his wife, former first lady Salma Kikwete as she was sworn in as an MP.

Opposition MPs were effusive in their praise of the man describing his quality of leadership as high, he allowed democracy, and that he let the august House conduct its own affairs. This coming from the same people who for a decade described the same former president as incompetent and indecisive. At one point in the past they cheered wildly when an opposition MP received his marching orders after claiming that the country was where it was because of the incompetency of President Kikwete.

They are the same people who walked out countless of times from proceedings in the august House. They are the same people who showed their backs to the man they cheered and applauded recently in Dodoma. They are the same people who squarely lay the blame of the new constitution writing process turning into a bitterly partisan affair under his feet. They are the same people who accused Kikwete of denying them their electoral “victory” in Zanzibar.

They are the same people who went around the country during his decade in office telling voters this country needs a “dictator”. While in office, Kikwete was the president who could not get the job done, now he is in retirement all of a sudden he is the embodiment of the quintessential president this country needs.

If this were a film script it would be roundly criticized for lacking authenticity.

As the day progressed, came the appointment of an academic and high flying opposition politician from a president who had said the opposition had no place in his government, while the appointed academic had previously criticized President Magufuli’s appointment of academicians to senior government positions but found his own appointment as “a great honour”. Prof Kitila Mkumbo’s party, ACT Wazalendo blessed his appointment saying the president now realized that there are people who can contribute to the development of this country from the opposition.

Such a statement for a president who has done equally little as the opposition to extend an olive branch and cross the political divide.

I was amused that the debate largely centered on the contradicting statements the two men said in public. In Uganda where the most pragmatic of all the presidents in this region, Yoweri Museveni appointed three opposition members to cabinet positions and the appointments were seen as weakening the opposition. Even President Museveni himself told his appointees from the opposition to go back to their opposition parties and recruit more of their members for the ruling NRM.

When one considers all that, strangely the debate here sounds like one among grown-ups.

After all that bipartisan display then came the act under the cover of the night when parliamentarians voted for our representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) in Arusha. The process was dogged with controversy as parliament Speaker Job Ndugai instructed that MPs vote “YES” or “NO” on the names of the candidates who were presented by Chadema which presented only two names with the two seats allocated to them. It was a clear attempt in trying to outsmart CCM MPs into voting for the two names presented which Speaker Ndugai had instructed needed to be gender-inclusive but Chadema refused.

When it comes to cloak and dagger moves, the opposition are still a no match for CCM strategists as their attempt was easily side-stepped and CCM MPs voted overwhelmingly to reject the names presented by Chadema.

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe said they will not allow CCM to dictate to them about the choices of their leaders and that they will go to court to set things right and blamed President Magufuli and Prime minister Kassim Majaliwa for the midnight fiasco in parliament. A bitter partisan row has since erupted and with the budget to be tabled in the coming days, it is going to be a heavily partisan affair but few surprises could be in store.

A friend summed up nicely the events of that day: Don’t take politicians seriously and enjoy the drama they produce. Anything else and you’ll need headaches and heartaches pills with you. They will come in handy.

Mr Mwakibete is a Socio-political  commentator and analyst based in Dar es Salaam.