Kahama. The Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) came out fighting yesterday describing President Jakaya Kikwete’s criticism of the party’s demonstrations and rallies as signs of desperation on the part of the government.
Addressing a number of rallies in Shinyanga and Kahama districts yesterday, the Chadema national chairman, Mr Freeman Mbowe, said the era of threats was long gone and that President Kikwete should concentrate on solving the numerous problems “created by his leadership”.
Insisting that the President had failed to solve major problems facing Tanzanians, Mr Mbowe said he was ready to show him how the country could be run successfully if given the chance.
“Let him give me the chance to show him how to manage the country... Chadema is able to run this country successfully because Tanzania has abundant resources which, if properly used, can improve the economy beyond its current status,” he noted, adding: “We have given the President nine days to solve the problems; if he cannot do it then let him give us the mandate and we will show him how the problems can be solved within the given timeframe.”
Addressing a rally in Isaka, Mr Mbowe said Chadema was not going to be cowed by President Kikwete’s harsh words as what the party was doing was within the law.
There was a huge turnout at Kahama town to receive Mr Mbowe and his team when they arrived. The demonstrators walked for about five kilometres to the sports stadium where the Chadema leader addressed a rally before he left for Bukombe. However, he was stopped at Masumbwa where he addressed another rally.
“President Kikwete has suggested that the proper way of changing the government is through elections and as such we should do our work in Parliament. I am telling him that we will not go to Parliament because whenever we raise pertinent issues in the law-making organ they heckle us because they have a numerical advantage. Because they steal elections, our only hope is to use people’s power... We have been in only three regions and he has started to lament?” he wondered.
Mr Mbowe urged wananchi to stand firm and demand their rights, noting that it was because of their extreme leniency that the CCM government had failed to deliver services to them. Giving an example of the rise in sugar prices, he said the government started to look into the issue after Chadema condemned the increase.
Elsewhere, there were mixed reactions to the President’s speech, which was delivered on Monday evening, with some noting that Mr Kikwete was justified to rebuke Chadema.
Others, however, hit at the President noting that Chadema as a political party had the right to organise demonstrations, especially after the government failed to improve the lives of a majority of Tanzanians as it had promised in the past.
They censured President Kikwete for trying to use his power to threaten wananchi for demanding their basic rights, something which they said was undemocratic.
In his televised address, the President urged the public to ignore the opposition party and focus on safeguarding the country’s peace. He stated that Chadema’s move to organise rallies around the country was bent on disrupting peace.
Dr Azaveli Lwaitama of the University of Dar es Salaam said he was not surprised by President Kikwete’s statement as he was using old tricks of discouraging demonstrations by trying to win the support of citizens’ through the issue of peace. Dr Lwaitama argued that it would have not been a problem if Mr Kikwete had addressed the nation as the ruling party chairman, as his speech would have been regarded as a political stetement.
“But since he made the address as the Head of State, his speech might be acted upon by the Police Force as an order from their Commander-in-Chief to block Chadema from conducting more rallies,” he said. He added: “That is where the chaos might begin... Because protesters do not carry weapons, I don’t think that Chadema’s demonstrations are aimed at disrupting peace.”
The NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman, Mr James Mbatia, supported President Kikwete’s sentiments, noting that Chadema’s demonstrations could lead the nation into chaos.
“Issues of national interest could be resolved through round table discussions and not demonstrations. Harsh statements in the ongoing demonstrations may plunge our country into chaos,” he warned.
But in a quick reaction, the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) executive director Francis Kiwanga, said the government should not stop Chadema from demonstrating since that was their right.
“The only thing that the government could do is to ensure a peaceful environment for demonstrations,” he said.
But Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, the national chairman of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) joined ranks with Mr Mbatia, noting that Chadema had ulterior motives behind the demos.
Mr Lipumba said some of the statements made in the demonstrations could trigger unrest in the country.
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