Africa-Press – Tanzania. COMMITMENT expressed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to bring together all Tanzanians regardless of their political inclinations is indeed real and not mere words in serving the nation.
In particular, this is evidenced by her actions fulfilling her promises to have an inclusive government, where all Tanzanians whether one is in the opposition party (ies) taking part in bold decisions in the country.
When addressing the National Assembly for the first time in April 2021 after taking power, President Samia expressed her commitment to take initiatives to bridge the gap between the government and opposition parties and defend democracy and fundamental freedoms.
She also promised to make appointments at various government posts, including sourcing competent leaders not only from the ruling party-Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), but also from the opposition parties.
Such a promise that was considered as a dream became true in one of her recent new appointments, when she walked her talks after appointing Ms Queen Sendiga as the Regional Commissioners for Iringa Region, taking over from Ally Hapi, who was transferred to Mara region.
In politics, Queen was a member of CCM until 2014, when she decided to shift and join the Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC), one of the small opposition parties in Tanzania. In the 2015 General Election, she contested for Kawe Constituency Parliamentary seat through ADC party, but became unsuccessful.
Queen, who is the ADC’s National Deputy Secretary General could not give up as in the 2020 General Election race and was elected by her party to run for the presidency in Tanzania, being among two women including Ms Cecilia Mwanga of Demokrasia Makini to vie for the post through opposition parties.
Furthermore, in defending independence and democracy, the president also pledged to meet and hold talks with opposition leaders to see how best they will conduct their political activities for the benefit of our country.
“Democracy, individual freedom and freedom of the press are important to foster development and peace. For the interest of protecting democracy, I intend to meet with all political party leaders to discuss how they can best conduct their political activities for the benefit of our country,” pointed out the President.
In her address to the nation through the National Assembly, the President equally pledged to protect freedom of the people as well as the media.
He said that freedom and democracy were the foundations of peace in the country, which in turn stimulate political, economic and social development.
However, President Samia noted that there is no democratic freedom that is not protected and governed by laws, procedures and regulations.
Therefore, in addition to democracy and the freedom of the people, she urged Tanzanians to be steady, while carrying out their activities in accordance with the provisions of the country’s laws.
Immediately after the president’s address, the opposition expressed their readiness to meet her, especially the Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) party, being the country’s main opposition party, clarifying to have received a letter from the State House inviting them for a meeting.
Here Chadema’s Secretary General John Mnyika had written on his Twitter that on April 20, 2021, they received the national Chairman’s response letter out of their request to meet the president, and the President had accepted to also hold consultations and they were waiting for the meeting date.
Though the Civic United Front (CUF) Secretary General Haroub Shamis is quoted to have said not receiving any invitation letter to meet with President Samia, he is on record that it was leaders of the Political Parties Council, who had communicated with the opposition party.
According to him, the Political Parties Council meeting Samia brings political parties onboard is intended to deliberate on issues that would be tabled for the Head of State.
He disclosed in one of daily newspapers that CUF’s national chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, wrote to the president advising her on four key issues.
Such issues included the need to improve the country’s democracy and rule of law; promotion of human rights; rebuilding the economy that has been devastated by Covid-19 and involvement of experts in fighting Covid-19. Mr Shamis is also quoted as having said that through the letter, the president was also advised on means of accessing low interest loans for the implementation of development projects such as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
In what is considered as working on the advice of such an opposition political party, within three weeks of being in power, the President formed a committee of experts to advise her on the status of Covid-19 in the country and necessary steps to take to keep people safe.
ACT-Wazalendo Deputy Secretary General for the Mainland, Mr Joram Bashange, is also quoted to have said that the party has a lot to be tabled before the Head of State, who would, hopefully, give them enough time before the meeting.
According to Mr Bashange, the party was not aware of the way she would use to meet them, either directly or through the Political Parties Council under the Office of Registrar of Political Parties, or other institutions.
He further said that a meeting of a Political Parties Council was also expected to deliberate on amending different laws, including the Political Parties Act.
Equally, the Deputy Registrar of Political Parties, Mr Sisty Nyahoza was reported to have confirmed that his office was organizing a meeting of the Political Parties Council expected to take place soon.
He was, however, quick to point out that such a meeting has no relationship with the President’s meeting with opposition political parties.
“It is a coincidence that the President is planning to meet top leaders of political parties at a time when we were organizing a legal meeting of the council,” he said.
