AfricaPress-Tanzania: THINGS are apparently going from bad to worse for the opposition party, Chadema, after announcing on Monday it has expelled four Members of Parliament.
The axed rebel MPs and their constituencies in brackets are Anthony Komu (Moshi Rural), Joseph Selasini (Rombo), David Silinde (Momba), and Wilfred Rwakatare (Bukoba Urban).
However, a duo of Komu and Selasini had already announced that they would leave the party immediately after Parliament dissolved on May, 29 this year.
It marks the deepest division in the main opposition party in recent years as the quartet lawmakers, ignored Chairman Freeman Mbowe’s order to boycott the ongoing parliamentary sessions in fear of Covid-19 pandemic.
Announcing the decision yesterday in Dar es Salaam, the Party’s Secretary-General, Mr John Mnyika also instructed ten other MPs who have disobeyed the party’s directives but have not demonstrated indiscipline to give thorough explanation as to why further measures should not be taken against them.
They are Mariam Msabaha, who is also a Member of the Central committee, Susan Masele, Joyce Sokombi, Latifa Chande, Lucy Mloe, Swale Semesi, Jafari Michael, Peter Lijualikali, Wile Kambalo and Rose Kamili.
Responding to the sacking, Lwakatare said the decision by the party was a shame as it did not consider the right for natural justice—meaning that he was not heard before the decision by the party to expel him.
“I wish to commend all leaders of my party’s Central Committee who spent a little time through a new technology to reach out to the decision that was made, however, I think they were supposed to seek my comments so that I could defend myself,’’ he remarked.
According to Mnyika, the party’s Central Committee in its two-day meeting held on May 9 and 10, this year resolved to expel the four MPs after it was satisfied that they have contravened the party’s constitution and guidelines.
“Although the four lawmakers had already disqualified themselves from being party members by disobeying the directives issued by the party, they kept on giving derogatory remarks against the party,” Mnyika said.
He said that the CC has directed him to notify the Speaker of the National Assembly over its decision.
Mr Mnyika further explained that the party’s guidelines require an MP to obey and fulfill all instructions given by the party and if he/she does not concur with them, they are required to give explanation by following procedures as per the constitution.
“The four MPs have shown indiscipline and instead of presenting their concerns to the party they used the media and other social networks to issue derogatory remarks against the party,” he said.
On May 1 this year, Chadema directed all its lawmakers among other things, to stop attending parliamentary sessions and committees immediately.
The party chairman Freeman Mbowe directed his members not to go near the two parliament buildings, both in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam as a way to avoid being infected with the novel coronavirus.
However, about 14 lawmakers ignored the call and continued to attend the budget session.
