Author: MARY RAMADHANI
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), through its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Friday pardoned its former Secretary-General, Abdulrahman Kinana and endorsed the decision of the Central Committee (CC) to expel a senior cadre, Bernard Membe.
They had been accused of gross misconduct and were among cadres who were penalised by CC in February, this year.
Mr Kinana was given a strong warning and put under 18 months’ watch, during which he was not allowed to vie for any position except retaining his right to vote.
The decision to pardon him was passed unanimously during the NEC meeting at the White House conference hall in Dodoma, one of whose agenda items was endorsement of the CCM’s presidential candidate for Zanzibar in the forthcoming General Election.
“How many want Mzee Kinana forgiven?” asked President Magufuli, who doubles as the party’s National Chairperson. The response was overwhelmingly in the affirmative. The president explained that the former secretary general demonstrated remorse and regretted what he did publicly by apologising; an act that is very hard for a normal human being to do.
He remarked: “This touched me a lot. He was given a punishment spanning 18 months, which he did not decline, and up to now, he has served for four months. Since our party comprises compassionate people, I am duly asking you members at this NEC meeting, to forgive him.”
The decisions made at the NEC meeting are in compliance with the constitution, one of whose functions is to monitor the behaviour and conduct of CCM members and leaders.
NEC states in its guidelines that when it proves that the behaviour and conduct of a member or a leader are not consistent with the membership and leadership qualifications, it may terminate or expel such a person from membership or leadership.
The National Executive Committee has the final authority to restore a person’s membership upon proof that the person has reformed. “… Through the decisions passed during this meeting, I announce that Kinana has been formally forgiven, his punishment is lifted and he can participate in the party’s activities once again,” Chairman Magufuli stated.
He explained that the other cadre who was also accused of indiscipline and violation of the party’s ethics was already gone.
He was alluding to former Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Membe, who was expelled on February 28 this year, a decision which was reached during a CC meeting and sealed during yesterday’s NEC meeting.
Functions of the CC of the NEC include suspending from leadership any leader, except for the CCM Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, upon proof that his or her behaviour and conduct are inconsistent with leadership qualifications.
“Is the punishment he was given, of being expelled accepted by all?” posed President Magufuli, with the entire NEC meeting unanimously accepting the decision with a firm “yes”.
Elaborating more on the decisions made during the meeting, the party’s political, ideology and Publicity Secretary, Mr Humphrey Polepole, said that, in the wake of the decision to forgive Mr Kinana, he was expected to attend today’s meeting.
