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Chadema: We recognise the president
By Dominic Nkolimwa
22nd November 2010
Says walkout misinterpreted
CHADEMA national chairman and official leader of Opposition in the parliament, Freeman Mbowe
Chadema yesterday clarified that it recognised the elected president and blamed the public for misinterpreting its MPs walkout when the head of state was about to address the parliament.
There is misinterpretation of facts regarding our stand people did not understand what we meant when we staged a walkout as the President was delivering his speech in the Parliament, said Chadema National Chairman, Freeman Mbowe, in an exclusive interview with The Guardian yesterday.
The actions by Chadema MPs to walk out of the House did not mean we dont recognise the president and his government, added Mbowe.
The walkout that sparked off a public debate last week, according to the opposition leader, aimed to express their displeasures over presidential results announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
He explained that the party has no intention of boycotting parliamentary proceedings, as MPs were elected by the people who expect a lot from them.
We only wanted to express our dissatisfaction with the presidential results, which announced Kikwete as the winner. But we have no plans to snub subsequent parliamentary sessions. We continue attending sessions as per the procedures, said Mbowe.
He blamed the general public for misinterpreting their position, saying it was not true the party does not recognise the president and the present government.
I am wondering where this myth came from. If we dont recognise the president and the government, we would have not participated in the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the endorsement of the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, said Mbowe.
He said people confused Chademas stance of not recognising the presidential results announced by NEC as not recognising the head of state.
We cant reject the president and his government while Tanzanians have accepted him to be their president. To show respect and recognition, Chadema legislators stood up when the president was entering the house, and later on walked out when he started reading his speech, said Mbowe, insisting: the walkout did not violate any law.
He dismissed claims that Chadema legislators were pressed by their top leaders to walk out, insisting that it was a decision which was endorsed by the party and not an individual leader.
MP Philemon Ndesamburo was not in Dodoma, Halima Mdee and John Mnyika were sick when the party was discussing the walkout strategy. Its not true that Chadema MPs were pressed by top leaders to stage the walkout its not true that some MPs rejected the decision, said Mbowe.
In short, it was a decision reached by consensus of all people who attended the planning meeting, noted Chadema leader.
Mbowe, reaffirmed the partys stand to continue pushing for constitutional reforms to allow the presidential results to be challenged in courts, establishment of an independent electoral body and the formation of a probe committee to investigate irregularities and related incidents that marred in the 2010 general election.
Recently, Chadema issued in a statement saying it does not recognize the presidential election results by NEC.
The party national chairman and official leader of Opposition in the parliament, Freeman Mbowe told journalists in Dodoma, thats the only way Chadema can react to the situation because of the bad laws instituted by the constitution.
You will remember that before election results were officially announced, we told NEC to stop announcing the presidential results due to irregularities that had taken place during the whole process of election, local media quoted Mbowe.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
By Dominic Nkolimwa
22nd November 2010
Says walkout misinterpreted
CHADEMA national chairman and official leader of Opposition in the parliament, Freeman Mbowe
Chadema yesterday clarified that it recognised the elected president and blamed the public for misinterpreting its MPs walkout when the head of state was about to address the parliament.
There is misinterpretation of facts regarding our stand people did not understand what we meant when we staged a walkout as the President was delivering his speech in the Parliament, said Chadema National Chairman, Freeman Mbowe, in an exclusive interview with The Guardian yesterday.
The actions by Chadema MPs to walk out of the House did not mean we dont recognise the president and his government, added Mbowe.
The walkout that sparked off a public debate last week, according to the opposition leader, aimed to express their displeasures over presidential results announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
He explained that the party has no intention of boycotting parliamentary proceedings, as MPs were elected by the people who expect a lot from them.
We only wanted to express our dissatisfaction with the presidential results, which announced Kikwete as the winner. But we have no plans to snub subsequent parliamentary sessions. We continue attending sessions as per the procedures, said Mbowe.
He blamed the general public for misinterpreting their position, saying it was not true the party does not recognise the president and the present government.
I am wondering where this myth came from. If we dont recognise the president and the government, we would have not participated in the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the endorsement of the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, said Mbowe.
He said people confused Chademas stance of not recognising the presidential results announced by NEC as not recognising the head of state.
We cant reject the president and his government while Tanzanians have accepted him to be their president. To show respect and recognition, Chadema legislators stood up when the president was entering the house, and later on walked out when he started reading his speech, said Mbowe, insisting: the walkout did not violate any law.
He dismissed claims that Chadema legislators were pressed by their top leaders to walk out, insisting that it was a decision which was endorsed by the party and not an individual leader.
MP Philemon Ndesamburo was not in Dodoma, Halima Mdee and John Mnyika were sick when the party was discussing the walkout strategy. Its not true that Chadema MPs were pressed by top leaders to stage the walkout its not true that some MPs rejected the decision, said Mbowe.
In short, it was a decision reached by consensus of all people who attended the planning meeting, noted Chadema leader.
Mbowe, reaffirmed the partys stand to continue pushing for constitutional reforms to allow the presidential results to be challenged in courts, establishment of an independent electoral body and the formation of a probe committee to investigate irregularities and related incidents that marred in the 2010 general election.
Recently, Chadema issued in a statement saying it does not recognize the presidential election results by NEC.
The party national chairman and official leader of Opposition in the parliament, Freeman Mbowe told journalists in Dodoma, thats the only way Chadema can react to the situation because of the bad laws instituted by the constitution.
You will remember that before election results were officially announced, we told NEC to stop announcing the presidential results due to irregularities that had taken place during the whole process of election, local media quoted Mbowe.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
