Sitta, Shakespeare’s Antony, Caesar

[Don Draper]

The Constituent Assembly (CA) this week saw a repeat of a scene in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar – an abrupt revocation of one of the assembly's Standing Orders governing its business – which shows how the tactics of Mark Antony are creating havoc in the House.


Dodoma. The Constituent Assembly (CA) this week saw a repeat of a scene in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar – an abrupt revocation of one of the assembly's Standing Orders governing its business – which shows how the tactics of Mark Antony are creating havoc in the House.

On Monday, CA chairman Samuel Sitta revoked Standing Order 7 (1) (g) and (h) – hardly a week after the regulations were approved – which stated who between the President and the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) chairman should be the first to address the CA.

The revoked rule and its sub-sections require that the guest of honour, who can either be the President of Tanzania or the President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, should officially open the CA business before the CRC chairman presents the second Draft Constitution in the assembly.

Yet, Mr Sitta consulted with the relevant offices to effect the revocation of the rule to allow the CRC chairman to present the Draft Constitution before President Jakaya Kikwete addresses the CA.

Probably, drawing from his extensive experience in parliamentary affairs, the Urambo East MP on a CCM ticket tried to reason with Members of the Constituent Assembly (MCAs) saying: "The President's work schedule is tight and so he will only get time to address us on Friday."

Obviously, there was no way this line of defence could have been challenged – we all know how busy the Head of State is. That said, therefore, it was the end of the game and probably, a victory for Mr Sitta.

But that victory did not come easily as it was followed by a petition from a group of CA members who have branded themselves as defenders of the Association of the Public Constitution – known in Swahili as Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi (Ukawa).

The group -- determined to defend the second Draft Constitution -- believes in a three government system as proposed by the CRC under the chairmanship of Judge (rtd) Joseph Warioba. To them, the revocation of the Standing Orders was uncalled for and was a deliberate violation of the process through which a constitution based on the voices of the people was meant to be written and obtained.

Yet, CA chairman Sitta went ahead and invited Mr Warioba to present the second Draft Katiba during Monday's afternoon session. What followed was Mr Sitta's first knockback. All the Ukawa members - including Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, Mr Tundu Lissu, Mr James Mbatia and Mr Christopher Mkitila among the many notable political figures -- stood up demanding the chairman to follow what the Standing Orders say. The House degenerated into total chaos in the House, forcing Mr Sitta o adjourn the sessions for an unspecified period.

"We want the CA to be run in a manner that promotes the processing of a constitution for Tanzanians….we don't want the CA to be like a meeting called to process a political party constitution," said the MP (CUF - Mkanyageni), Mr Habib Juma Mnyaa.

That said, the question would probably be: What difference does it make if the President addresses the CA after the CRC chairman's presentation of the second Draft Constitution?

Apparently, a review of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar may have some answers. In the psychology of politics, someone who speaks last stands a better chance to woo the audience over to his/her side of the argument depending on his/her oratory prowess.
That is exactly what Mark Antony – in Julius Caesar -- did and apparently, the MCAs who support the current setup of the Union between Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, want to borrow a leaf from the Roman politician.

When Caesar's friend, who participated in the plot to assasinate Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, stood up to speak at the site of the killing, he thought he had won the hearts of all who were present, for his spoke with compassion.

Brutus tried to convince the crowd that the conspirators (himself included) had killed Caesar to save Rome. But Mark Antony, another Roman official and friend of Caesar, who did not participate in the assasination, became the second and last speaker at the event – his speech completely changed people's view towards the assassination of Caesar.

Mark Antony started by promising Brutus that he would not blame the conspirators if he were to be allowed to make a speech.

And, his words were really touching though he did not directly blame Brutus and his accomplices for assassinating Caesar while systematically trying to soothe Brutus that he (Brutus) surely was noble man. Said Mark Antony:

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears….I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them….The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault; And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it… Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.

"He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man.

"He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept…"

That speech was enough to change the political terrain of Rome. Those who had earlier believed in what Brutus had told them about the reasons for the conspirators' killing of Julius Caesar were completely changed. They started to believe that Brutus, though honourable, did not have genuine reasons of killing Caesar.

They agreed to join forces with Octavian and Mark Antony and together, they defeated Brutus and his allies.

That is what a well-orchestrated speech of someone who speaks after someone else's speech can do. And, although the second Draft Constitution contains a lot of issues, it is the structure of the Union that has taken the centre stage and will probably reign over the rest. This has already sowed seeds of discord and mistrust amongst CA members.
Coincidentally, the ruling CCM has already made it clear that it wants a two-government structure, which, however, would be subjected to some improvements.

And, although no one knows what President Jakaya Kikwete will say about the system, it goes without saying that he is the chairman of the party advocating a two-government system. Now if at all he is to speak about the Union structure, that is what he would stick with.

Whoever speaks last between the President and the CRC chairman is likely going to have more iinfluence on how the MCAs will vote at the close of the Assembly business – 70 or 90 days since its commencement.


Source: Citizen