Six Members of Parliament Face Treason Charges

[Pundit]

Six Members of Parliament Face Treason Charges


The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)


NEWS
11 June 2008
Posted to the web 11 June 2008

By Salma Said and Rodgers Luhwago
Zanzibar

Four Members of Parliament were on Monday questioned by police in Zanzibar over their alleged involvement in a secession campaign spearheaded by Pemba elders.

Together with two other lawmakers - who did not report to the p0lice - they could face treason charges, police in Zanzibar warned yesterday.


The politicians, it is alleged, played a key role in the move by 12 Pemba elders, who have sought United Nations support for the formation of a federal state in Zanzibar, to give Pemba greater autonomy.

Commissioner of Police Khamis Mohamed Simba said they were finalising the investigations before taking the suspects to court.

The politicians targeted include four members of Zanzibar's Representative Council, Mr Said Ali Mbarouk (Gando), Mr Hamad Masoud Hamad (Ole), Mr Asaah Othman Hamad (Wete) and Mr Mohammed Salim (Mkoani). They are all members of Civic United Front (CUF).

Those who did not appear before the police are National Assembly members Masoud Abdallah (Mtambile) and Salim Khamis (Chambani), also of CUF.

The first four were interrogated at Zanzibar's police headquarters, a month after the Pemba elders wrote to the UN, demanding that Pemba's secession.

Advocate Ussi Khamis accompanied the politicians to police headquarters.

They were all released on bail.

But the two MPs in the Union Parliament from Zanzibar were said to have travelled to Dodoma to attend the Budget session of Parliament, which opened yesterday.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Mr Hamad said that the law granted them the right to refuse to give any explanations to police until they are taken to court.

Said he: "There are normally two options in such a case.

The first is to give an explanation to police and the second is to remain silent waiting for the matter to be taken to court.

So, we have resolved to take the second option," he said.

They, he added, had fulfilled all the police procedures, including arriving at police headquarters at the right time (10am).

They were then called into the interrogation room separately.

He said they had been questioned local police and intelligence officers from the Mainland.

The interrogators told the politicians that they had been summoned to appear before the police after they were named by seven CUF elders as having helped them to draft the petition they sent to the UN office in Dar es Salaam.

The letter, which was signed by 10,000 Pemba residents, called for UN support in "creating an environment for the formation of a federal state in Zanzibar".

Pemba people have accused the Zanzibar Government of marginalising them.

They claim that creating their own state will give them a chance to proper economically.

However, the Zanzibar Government has strongly denied the allegations, insisting that President Amani Karume has been implementing social and economic projects on Pemba Island.

President's Karume has also defended himself against the allegations of exclusion of Pemba people from his government, saying that it would have been unconstitutional for him to appoint opposition MPs to serve in the CCM administration.

Meanwhile, the Pemba elders, who early last month sent the petition to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, seeking their island's autonomy,

Are now seeking audience with President Jakaya Kikwete over the same matter.

According to a statement issued in Dar es Salaam yesterday and signed by the spokesman of the group, Mr Hamad Ali Mussa, the elders said they would write a letter to President Kikwete, asking him to help resolve the problem.

On Monday, the elders, once again called at the UN office in Dar es Salaam, seeking an answer to their letter.

They did so with another 27,000 signatures of Pemba people supporting their initiative.

According to Mr Mussa, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official identified only as Robert asked them to return after a week for the answer.

Soon after presenting their letter to the UN office in early May, more than 10 Pemba elders were detained for several days before being released after undergoing police interrogation.

Human right activists and renowned academics such Prof Haroub Othman and Prof Issah Shivji had called for the release of the elders.

Some legal experts said talk of treason in Zanzibar was wrong since, according to international law, it not an independent state.

Political tension has been rising in Zanzibar since the CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at founding President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere's home village of Butiama in Musoma.

The NEC ditched a peace accord between CUF and the ruling party and instead processed that a referendum be held in Zanzibar for the people to determine how they wish to be governed.

But CUF members said the referendum was not part of the agenda of the talks, which lasted 14 months.

 

[Lunyungu]

I smell u Mugabe under JK na CCM yao .Kazi kweli kweli .Yaani kupelekja barua tu kesi kubwa ua Uhaini je wakitangaza wako msituni itakuwaje ?

When will we see the same speed kwa mafisadi kuhojiwa namna hii na kufunguliwa kesi ya uhaini na kuhujumu Uchumi wa Tanzania ?

 

[KakindoMaster]

I
When will we see the same speed kwa mafisadi kuhojiwa namna hii na kufunguliwa kesi ya uhaini na kuhujumu Uchumi wa Tanzania ?

Kwa sasa hivi na uongozi tulionao nafikiri tusahau.

Hivi nani amkamate nani?

Tuombe tubadilishe viongozi labda hao wajao wanaweza kutoa maamuzi ya busara ya kuliokoa taifa.

Hawa wapemba watapata matatizo tu kwa sababu ya kuwa na viongozi ambao ni wazito katika kutoa maamuzi ya busara.

Kiongozi yeyote asiyependa kulaumiwa na wenzake pale anapotoa maamuzi mazito yenye masirahi kwa waliompa madaraka basi huyo si kiongozi.

 

[Mwiba]

Sasa kuna harufu ya udikiteta inanukia ,ilivyokuwa udikiteta hauna rangi ,basi unahitaji kuona nini kinaendela na kwa faida ya nani ? Vitisho hivi au zoezi hili halikusudiwi waPemba kama inavyotakiwa ionekane lakini hawa wajamaa wamepiga mbali sana na kwa viashiria vya hali ya Tanzania inavyokwenda hawa wamekusudia kuwatisha watanzania wote popote walipo ,ikiwa wamo nje au ndani , lakini hawajui kama hali inavyokwenda si mpemba peke yake anaeathirika bali watu wengi ambao wengine wamo humo humo ndani ya serikali zao na wengine wamo humo humo ndani ya vyombo vyao vya dola ambavyo ndio TOOLS wanazozitumia katika kuwanyanyasa raia,so far tools hizi nazo zina ndugu na jamaa na marafiki ambao wanawategemea katika maisha yao ya kila siku ,na kila wanapoweka kazi pembeni na kuwatembelea jamaa zao huko mitaani na vijijini ,hali wanayolalamikiwa inawaingia moyoni na kuwaunguza maini lakini wafanye nini ? Bila ya shaka ipo siku watapata uamuzi ili kuondokana na manunguniko wanayopewa na wanafamilia zao waliowaacha uraiani.

 

[Kuhani]

...they could face treason charges, police in Zanzibar warned yesterday.

Commissioner of Police Khamis Mohamed Simba said they were finalising the investigations before taking the suspects to court.

On Monday, the elders, once again called at the UN office in Dar es Salaam, seeking an answer to their letter.

Some legal experts said talk of treason in Zanzibar was wrong since, according to international law, it not an independent state.

Hakuna kesi hapa.

Ndio maana Simba anabaki kutoa vitisho tu. Kesi ya Uhaini ambayo haihusiani na jaribio la kumdhuru Rais ni ngumu mno, na Simba na Mwanyika hawaiwezi, trust me.

Ukitaka kujua ni ngumu, soma ruling ya Jaji Ramadhani kwa niaba ya jopo la Mahakama ya Rufaa, iliyobainisha kwamba huwezi kufanya Uhaini dhidi ya Serikali ya Zanzibar kwa sababu Zanzibar sio nchi.

Kuanzia decision ya Ramadhani (J) ilipotolewa, ma lawyer wanajua kwamba ukitaka kumshtaki Mzanzibar kwa Uhaini, cha kufanya ni kusema tu Uhaini umefanyika dhidi ya TZ sio ZNB. Hilo ni rahisi, sio ishu. Kigumu ni kwamba katika ile decision (ambayo inakuwa ni sheria ya Nchi kutoka Mahakama ya Rufaa (decisional law)), Ramadhani (J) alipata wakati mgumu sana ku define Uhaini. Katiba inasema Uhaini ndio kosa kubwa kuliko lote unaloweza kuifanyia TZ, lakini haisemi Uhani ni nini. Jopo la Ramadhani (J) likaanza kusakanya sheria. Sheria ya Jinai ya Zanzibar ilikuwa inaongelea Uhaini, lakini Ramadhani (J) akamuru ifutwe hapo hapo kwa sababu akasema huwezi kufanya Haini dhidi ya Zanzibar. Sheria ya Jinai ya Tanzania Bara hai apply kwa makosa yaliyofanyika Zanzibar. Na, kesi zote za Uhani za nyuma ambazo Ramadhani (J) angeweza kupata mwongozo wa Sheria, zote zilihusisha Uhaini wa aina nyingine, wa kutaka kumdhuru Rais Nyerere, na sio uasi wa kutaka kujitoa kwenye Muungano. (Nasema "zote" kwa sababu kama ingekuwepo Ramadhani (J) angelazimika kui consider, kutokana wa mfumo wetu wa Kiingereza (common law) wa kufuata maamuzi yaliyopita ya Majaji wenzio (stare decisis).

Ikabidi Ramadhani aende kwenye ma definition ya Uhaini ya nchi nyingine, kuanzia Botswana, South Africa, Marekani, na Uingereza kwenyewe, ambako sheria yetu ilitokea. Alichoambulia ni kwamba uhaini unatendeka kama mambo manne yakitokea:

1) kuna kitendo kimefanyika (actus rea) - hii ni lazima katika kila jinai
2) ni kitendo cha uhaini (treasonable)
3) kimefanywa dhidi ya dola kamili (sovereign state)
4) aliyefanya ana wajibu wa utii, uaminifu, au allegiance, na Tanzania (mara nyingi ina maana ya Raia)

Baada ya kutunga hii sheria kwenye ruling yake, Ramadhani (J) akaitupa kesi kwa kutumia sharti la tatu, kwa sababu washistakiwa waliambiwa wameihaini ZNZ, ambayo sio nchi. Baada ya kuuchambua muungano, na Katiba zote mbili (TZ, ZNB) kwa mapana na marefu, na kukuta ma contradictions ambayo anasema walishaionya Serikali tokea kesi ya Maalim Seif, miaka ya mwanzo ya 90, Ramadhani akaamua ku make sense out of it, na jopo lake la Kisanga (J) na Rugakingira (J). Wakasema, Katiba inasema Tanzania ni nchi moja. Kwa hiyo unaweza kumshtaki Mzanzibar kwa Uhaini, na Uhaini unaweza kufanyika ZNZ, so long as shitaka unaliandika ipasavyo - dhidi ya Jamhuri. No sweat there.

Tatizo ni kwamba, Ramadhani (J) hakueleza element no. 2 ina maana gani. Hakuwa na haja ya kueleza, kwa sababu, kwa mujibu wa Sheria aliyoitunga hapo juu, kipengele no. 3 kilitosha kuamua kesi. Shitaka liliandikwa vibaya -mashitaka ya Uhaini dhidi ya ZNZ.

Sasa mbinde kwa Simba na Mwanyika ni ku figure out Uhaini ni nini. Huyo Ramadhani (J) mwenyewe ilibidi atumie neno linalo fanana fanana na Uhaini, aliloliibua baada ya kupekechua sheria za Usalama wa Taifa. Sheria ya Usalama ya 1996 inagusia juu juu neno "Subversion." Ramadhani (J), baada ya kuwagombeza mawakili kwa kuto ku-bring up hii sheria ili kupata pata madokezo, akasema "subversion" inafana na "uhaini" (subversion and treason are cognate offenses.) Na hapa napo hakueleza "subversion" inatokeaje. Sheria ya Usalama ya 1996 nayo haisemi "subversion" inavyo tokea. The only reason Ramadhani (J) alichambua sheria ya 1996 (ambayo ina apply na ZNB pia) ni ili tu aweze kuwa na nguvu ya kusema Uhani ni jambo la nchi nchi nzima, jambo la Muungano. Zaidi ya hapo, sheria hazisemi lolote kuhusu Uhaini. Zingekuwa zinasema, Ramadhani (J) asingeenda Marekani kuzitafuta.

Kwa hiyo hata baada ya kuunga unga vipande vya sheria kutoka huku na kule, ndani na nje ya nchi, na kupachika falsafa zake mwenyewe za kisheria sehemu ambazo Katiba na Muungano mzima hau make sense, bado Ramadhani (J) hakutuletea Sheria ya Uhaini iliyobainisha mambo sawia. Alitafuta na akatengeneza sheria iliyomsadia kuamua kesi iliyoko mbele yake. Ramadhani (J) alijua kwamba angeipanua ishu sana zaidi ya kile anacho hitaji kuamua kesi, hiyo isingekuwa sheria ya nchi, bali nyongeza za maoni (dicta). Kwa hiyo, Inapokuja kwenye Uhaini ambao hauhusiani na kumdhuru Rais, sheria bado hazijaiva, na sio kesi ya mchezo mchezo hata kidogo.

Simba na Mwanyika ukiwasikia wanaongea unajua tu hawaiwezi. Ndio maana Wazee wa Pemba nao wamerudi UNDP kuomba majibu ya Barua yao. Wanajua hakuna kesi hapa. Na kama ipo, wanajua Muungano unaweza ukavunjikia mahakamani huko huko, kama ikionekana kwamba kudai kujitenga sio Haini! Kwa hiyo, wanawadirikisha Simba na Mwanyika wawashitaki. Na ma lawyer wa serikali watawaambia kina Simba na Mwanyika, hapa tutachemsha tu. Kesi wataitupa wenyewe kina Simba. Hutaki, tupinge!
___________________________

Kwa summary ya hiyo kesi iliyojadiliwa hapa, nenda moja kwa moja kwenye pg. 143 ya PDF doc.
Kesi kamili ni ya kurasa 13, ipo kwenye word doc.

 

[Kana-Ka-Nsungu]

Jamani mbona CCM wanakiuka taratibu zao za kiutendaji hapa? Nilitegemea kuona tume ya uchunguzi ikiundwa kama kawaida na kupewa miezi mitatu kabla hatua zozote hazijachukuliwa!

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

Guys,

Do not underestimate the predictability of CCM and its apparatus stupidity!

 

[Masaka]

kwani kuna kosa gani kufunga jela watu ambao wanataka kuvuruga amani ya nchi?

 

[Kuhani]

kwani kuna kosa gani kufunga jela watu ambao wanataka kuvuruga amani ya nchi?

Umejuaje wametaka kuvuruga amani ya nchi?

 

[Kana-Ka-Nsungu]

kwani kuna kosa gani kufunga jela watu ambao wanataka kuvuruga amani ya nchi?

Amani inakuwa imevurugwa popote pale kama wananchi watakuwa wanakufa mahospitalini kwa ukosefu wa madawa wakati fedha za kununulia hayo madawa zinakwibwa tena mchana kweupe na viongozi tuliowaweka madarakani sisi wenyewe. Utaona wazi kwamba hata huko Pemba ambako kuna machafuko makubwa, JK na serekali yake wangeweza kuweka mambo sawa kabla 'amani haijavurugika', they are in a position to do that and they have got the power. Wavuruga amani ni viongozi wetu wenyewe na naamini kabisa kwamba they deserve to rot in jail.

 

[Mwakilishi]

Hiyo shule uliyotoa imetulia, shukrani Kuhani Mkuu.

 

[Indume Yene]

Wahujumu uchumi wanapeta tu na mabilioni yetu lakini Wazee kupeleka maoni yao pale UNDP basi walishakamatwa na wapelelezi wanarushwa kwa ndege kwenda Zanzibar kupeleleza. Jamani sijui hii nchi inakwenda wapi........

 

[Kichakoro]

Hapa je?????

wanakesi ya kujibu??????