National At a crossroads

 
Mr Samuel Sitta, the Constituent Assembly chair faces a daunting task amid squabbles within the august House and the CUF decision to order its MCAs to quit the Constitution writing process in Dodoma


Dodoma/Zanzibar. The differences that have rocked the Constituent Assembly spilled out into the open yesterday, with the result that Zanzibar’s first vice-president and influential Secretary General of the Civic United Front (CUF) ordered his MPs to quit the assembly.

The situation was compounded by lack of a decision on when Parliament will convene to discuss the national budget, which has thrown the country into a state of uncertainty. With Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda saying yesterday that the government was uncertain over when the budget will be read, routine Government functions may also be thrown into disarray if things do not let up in Dodoma .

The Budget session usually starts in April with various ministries tabling their annual budgets before the main national budget is tabled in June. Concern has been raised that Parliamentary oversight committees have yet to start audit sessions for the current financial year.

It was projected that the CA would take 70 days--two months and 10 days--to conclude its business, so that the National Assembly sits to debate the budget session. The CA started on February 18 this year and was expected to conclude its business by mid-April but, with the current squabbles, such expectations have been reduced to a pipe dream.

Mr Pinda gave the warning on the budget at another press conference where he defended President Jakaya Kikwete, who has come under criticism for his speech last week to members of the CA .

It was another wasted day in Dodoma as fast-paced drama characterised the CA meeting--that ended up being put off again. This followed a stand-off over planned amendments to the CA Standing Orders

In Zanzibar, Mr Hamad--who sits at the apex of the Government of National Unity--teamed up with some CCM members-turned-critics and issued ominous statements on the future of the Katiba process and the Union between the Isles and the mainland.

At a public rally at Kibandamaiti grounds, Mr Hamad said his party was not ready to discuss the two-government structure that President Jakaya Kikwete and CCM front as the most suitable arrangement. Mr Hamad said it was not proper for President Kikwete to criticise the second draft constitution tabled by CRC Chairperson Judge Joseph Warioba during the launch of the CA.

He praised Mr Warioba and his team for taking a neutral position. Despite being a member of CCM, Mr Hamad said, the CRC Chairman put the interests of the country first and respected the wishes of the people as reflected in the draft law--which, among other things, recommended a three-tier government. “What Judge Warioba tabled wasn’t his views but the people’s opinions,” Mr Hamad added.

The CUF boss claimed President Kikwete forgot that he was addressing the CA as the head of state and not the chairperson of CCM.

In Dodoma, CA Chairman Samuel Sitta was forced to defend himself at a late press conference after the abrupt postponement of the evening session.

Mr Sitta had been challenged on the floor by Singida East MP Tundu Lissu, who protested what he described as illegal amendments being “sneaked” into the assembly against laid-down procedures. The session ended after just 30 minutes, with Mr Sitta suspending House business to this evening.