TUCTA backtracks on election inclination - Daily News
By SEBASTIAN MRINDOKO, 19th August 2010
THE Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) has backtracked on the previous statements that it was planning to support a presidential candidate from the party that would present better policies on workers' welfare, a statement many saw as an attempt to turn the congress into a political organisation.
The
TUCTA president, Omar Ayub, told journalists in Dar es Salaam on Thursday during a meeting that brought together the trade unions' top leaders that workers should use their constitutional right and participate fully in the election without being forced to elect any aspirant.
"This is an official position of the workers' trade union and that they should choose leaders of their own choice who will be ready to serve them," he said.
However, the TUCTA president fell short of saying directly that he denounced an earlier statement given by the acting secretary general, Nicholaus Mgaya. Mr Mgaya was quoted as saying that the trade union was planning to support a presidential candidate from the party that would present better policies on workers' welfare.
In Thursday's press briefing, the TUCTA president backtracked and urged workers to make use of political events particularly those involving corruption practices in the early stages of nominations in some political parties.
He said having with them the history of political events in their minds would offer them an excellent criteria of electing an eligible candidate. He also warned workers against being used as instruments by some politicians in order to fulfil their political demands, instead, they should use their constitutional and democratic right carefully.
He said TUCTA recognised the importance of the coming general election scheduled for October 31 and urged all workers to participate fully in political campaigns, listen carefully to what the candidates said.
"TUCTA is not siding with any political party but always looks at ways of improving working conditions, national income benefits for all, removal of all ills in socio-economic affairs and that the country runs on good governance basis," he said.