SOUTH AFRICANS GO TO POLLS

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"ANC SAGA COULD BE REPLAYED IN TANZANIA

By Christopher Kidanka and Agencies 

As former South Africa Defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota announced plans to lead a breakaway ANC faction yesterday, a respected Dar es Salaam-based political scientist said parallels could be drawn in Tanzania. 

Prof Mwesiga Baregu of the University of Dar es Salaam said the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) was showing signs of an internal struggle similar to the one that was threatening to split ANC down the middle. 

But CCM publicity secretary John Chiligati scoffed at the comparison, saying the party remained united. 

Yesterday, Mr Lekota was quoted as saying they were serving �divorce papers", complaining about what he called "undemocratic tendencies" in the ANC, which he said had betrayed its own principles. 

In Dar es Salaam, Prof Baregu told The Citizen that what was happening in South Africa was a clash between conservatives and modernists. 

He said an ANC split was inevitable after Mr Thabo Mbeki was ousted from the party's presidency last December before he was forced to step down as South African president last month, a year before completing his second and final term. 

"There have always been clashes within ANC, and this reached a crescendo when workers, youth and women dropped Mbeki in favour of Zuma," he said. 

Prof Baregu said that the same fate could befall CCM which was facing similar challenges as its South African counterpart. 

"There are two ANCs�one that is pro-Freedom Charter and the other which embraces market economy. These two are in constant struggle. The same can be said of CCM which is ideologically split into one group which is pro-Arusha Declaration and socialism and the other which can be said to be pro-corruption. We can say that what has happened in South Africa will inevitably happen in Tanzania," he said. 

Prof Baregu said there was a struggle within CCM pitting traditionalists who wanted to maintain socialist attitudes and leadership ethics as preached by Mwalimu Nyerere and those who had deviated from the party's original ideals. 

But Mr Chiligati said ANC president Jacob Zuma had assured CCM that ANC would remain strong despite the turmoil it was going through. 

"Two weeks ago Zuma was here and we talked at length about the problems within his party, and he assured us that ANC would never split. 

"We voiced our concern about the conflict pitting factions aligned to Mbeki and Zuma and he told us that what was happening was part of democracy and that there was nothing to worry about," Mr Chiligati. 

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has downplayed reports of a split within ANC, saying a splinter group could not pose a serious threat. 

Mr Lekota did not announce a new grouping yesterday as had earlier been predicted although he said the ANC was close to splitting. 

"This is probably the parting of the ways ... We hope that sense may still prevail in us... If not there's no going back," he said. 

He called for a congress of forces opposed to the ANC 's current policies and direction within four weeks but said he had not spoken to opposition parties. 

Flanked by another ANC dissident, former deputy defence minister Mluleki George, he added: "Logically it seems that this is the end of it." It was not clear how much support Mr Lekota, a former ANC chairman, had although he said hundreds of local party supporters had resigned and regional and provincial ANC branches were contemplating leaving. 

Most analysts played down the impact of any breakaway party unless it was joined by ANC heavyweights including Mr Mbeki. They said the party leadership might welcome the departure of dissidents to restore unity. 

Mr Mbeki was forced out last month and replaced by Motlanthe after a judge accused the former president of meddling in a graft case against Mr Zuma. Mr Motlanthe is expected to step down after elections expected around April 2009.

Mr Lekota said those opposing the present leadership of the party would need to be in some kind of organisation but said there must be consultation first on the way forward. He said he was living with an "uneasy sense that the African National Congress has started moving away from the cause that attracted us." 

Mr Mbeki sacked Mr Zuma from the deputy presidency in 2005 after Mf Zuma was implicated in a corruption trial. Mr Zuma was elected ANC leader on December 18, 2007 after defeating Mr Mbeki. 

Mr Robert Sobukwe formed the Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) in 1959, breaking away from the ANC. The split took place as Mr Sobukwe pressed for South Africa to be returned to its indigenous people. He accused the ANC of being contaminated by non-African values. 

The South African Native National Congress was formed in January 1912 in Bloemfontein, in response to legislation denying political rights to the black population. It changed its name to the African National Congress in 1923. Its early leaders wanted a gradual extension of the electoral franchise on the British model. The party failed to moderate the race policies of successive white governments

SOURCE: The Citizen

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THE PITFALLS OF OPPOSITION POLITICS IN TANZANIA

Some political analysts argue that ruling parties in Africa never lose elections,and if they do,which is rarely,it is likely not because they failed to deliver to the people who put the parties in power but rather either due to their internal conflicts or laxity.One could easily blame majority of opposition parties in Africa for their failures in organizing themselves in quest to remove ruling parties from power.But the fact is,in most African countries,the idea of an opposition party coming into power spells inexplicable uncertainty to the rulers,largely due to their "sins" during their terms of leadership.

In Tanzania,opposition parties have consistently cried foul during elections accusing the ruling party,CCM,of sabotaging them by either inciting conflicts in the parties or "bribing" their leaders to defect.CCM has also been accused of reluctance to reform the electoral system,which the opposition parties,see as unfair and biased.

I strongly believe that our nation's interest should come first,mainly because political parties may come and go but the nation should always remain intact,peacefully and flourishing.Had every Tanzanian looked beyond partisan politics,it is fair to conclude that those who criticize the ruling party for its perceived failure to deals with mafisadi (economic saboteurs),for instance,would not be considered as giving ammunitions to opposition parties but instead they would be given enormous support.

A while ago,I came across this story which in my view would stir trouble in Tanzania's opposition politics.

Mtikila atamka mazito kifo cha Wangwe

Na Waandishi Wetu  WAKATI mazingira ya kifo cha aliyekuwa Mbunge wa Tarime marehemu Chacha Wangwe yakiendelea kuwa tete, Mwenyekiti wa Democratic Party (DP) Mchungaji Christopher Mtikila, ameibuka na kile alichodai, taarifa za mpango kamili hadi mauaji ya mwanasiasa huyo.  Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari Dar es Salaam jana, Mchungaji Mtikila alidai mipango ya kumuua marehemu Wangwe ilianza kusukwa mkoani Dodoma na baadaye vikao vya kukamilisha mkakati huo, vilifanyika jijini Dar es Salaam wilayani Kinondoni.  Aliongeza kuwa wahusika baada ya kukamilisha mpango huo na jinsi utakavyotekelezwa, walikwenda nchini Kenya kukodi watu wawili ambao alidai walilipwa sh. milioni 120 kama ujira wa 'kazi' hiyo.  Mchungaji Mtikila alidai kuwa wauaji hao, ndio walioshirikiana na Bw.Deus Mallya ambaye anadaiwa wakati huo alikuwa amejenga uhusiano mzuri na marehemu Wangwe.  Alidai siku ya tukio, marehemu Wangwe hakutaka kusafiri lakini alishinikizwa zaidi ya mara tatu na Bw. Mallya ambaye hadi sasa anashitakiwa kwa kosa la kusababisha ajali na kuendesha gari bila leseni. "Baada ya kushinikizwa sana, marehemu Wangwe alikubali kuanza safari ambapo Bw. Mallya aliwasiliana na washirika wake ambao muda huo walikuwa eneo la tukio wakiwasubiri," alidai Mchungaji Mtikila na kuongeza kuwa;  "Wakati huo ilikuwa bado mapema hivyo walimshauri apoteze muda japo wa nusu saa, ndipo alipozusha hitilafu ndani ya gari na kurudi gereji na baada ya muda huo kupita ndipo walianza safari kuelekea jijini Dar es Salaam."  Huku akidai kuwa ana ushahidi wa tukio hilo na yupo tayari kutoa ushirikiano kwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete, Mchungaji Mtikila alizidi kueleza kuwa Bw. Mallya aliendelea kuwasiliana na washirika wake hadi walipofika eneo Pandambili, wilayani Kongwa na kusimamisha gari.  "Baada ya kusimamisha gari, washirika wa Mallya walipanda na kumpulizia dawa ya usingizi usoni mara nne na hapo hapo alipoteza fahamu," alieleza Mchungaji Mtikila na kuongeza kuwa baada ya hapo ndipo alipigwa kwa kitu cha ncha kali kisogoni.  "Kwa kuwa Mungu alimpenda sana hakukata roho, aliendelea kuhema ndipo alipopigwa na nyundo na kummalizia kabisa," alidai. Aliongeza kuwa baada ya kutimiza hilo waliweka jiwe kwenye kiongeza mwendo gari likaondoka kwa kasi na lilipindua ili kuonesha kuwa marehemu alikufa kwa ajali lakini muda huo Mallya alikuwa hayuko kwenye gari,"  Alidai kuwa kabla ya kupindua gari hilo, walimfunga marehemu mkanda na kumwibia sh. milioni tisa alizokuwa nazo pamoja na kompyuta yake ndogo 'Lap top' ambayo ilikuwa na nyaraka zake za siri.  Alidai kuwa baada ya kufanikisha mauaji hayo, Bw. Mallya alitoa 'line' yake ya simu ambayo alikuwa akiitumia kuwasiliana na washirika wake na kuitupa. Alidai kuwa hadi anakamatwa simu yake haikuwa na 'line' yoyote.  Kwa mujibu wa Mchungaji Mtikila mauaji hayo yalifanyika kati ya 1.30 hadi saa 2.00 usiku, muda mfupi baada ya kumaliza kuwasiliana na familia yake saa 1.27.  Huku akijata majina ya watu wanaodaiwa kuhusika kwenye mpango huo, alieleza kuwa kipindi cha mchakato wa mpango wa kumuua, Bw. Wangwe, walikuwa wakisafiri kwenda nchini Kenya kusuka mpango huo.  Mchungaji Mtikila alielekeza lawama zake kwa askari wote waliohusika na uchunguzi wa mauaji hayo kwa akidai kuwa hawakusema ukweli hivyo nao wanastahili kuunganishwa kwenye kesi hiyo.  Kutokana na mazingira ya kifo cha marehemu Wangwe kugubikwa na maswali mengi, Mchungaji Mtikila amemuomba Rais Kikwete kuunda tume ya kuchunguza mazingira ya kifo chake kama alivyofanya kwa wafanyabiashara wa madini wa Mahenge, Morogoro ambao wanadaiwa kuuawa na Polisi.  Alidai kwa wadhifa aliokuwa nao marehemu Wangwe katika jamii akiwa Mbunge wa Tarime, Rais ana nafasi ya kuunda tume. "Naupongeza uamuzi wake wa kuunda tume ya kuchunguza vifo vya wafanyabiashara lakini na kwa hili aunde tume na mimi nitakuwa tayari kutoa ushirikiano,"alisisitiza.  Aliongeza kuwa kama Rais hatafanya hivyo, yeye ataleta wataalam wake kutoka nje kufanya uchunguzi kwani ameishafanya mazungumzo na ubalozi wa nchi moja ambao hakuutaja.  Mchungaji Mtikila alidai kuwa atakwenda jimboni Tarime wakati huu wa kampeni ili kuwaeleza wananchi ukweli kuhusu kifo cha marehemu Wangwe. Alisema amesimamisha mgombea kupitia chama chake, Bw. Benson Makanya, ili apate jukwaa la kueleza ukweli kuhusiana na kifo hicho.  Marehemu Wangwe alikufa kwa ajali ya gari iliyotokea eneo la Pandambili mkoani Dodoma Julai 28 mwaka huu lakini tangu kifo chake, yameibuka maswali mengi huku baadhi ya watu wakidai kuwa aliuawa.  Hata hivyo uchunguzi uliofanywa na madaktari wawili kwa nyakati tofauti ulionesha kuwa hakupigwa risasi bali kifo chake kilisababishwa na ajali ya gari.

According to one local paper,the suspects are Freeman Mbowe,Dr Wilbroad Slaa and Tindu Lissu.This is how I look at the picture:If the accused trio decide to ignore Mtikila,it goes without saying that the public would buy the story,and it could bring their political careers to an abrupt end.Going to the court might be the only option left on their table,but Mtikila has a long history of winning charges brought against him in various courts.It should be all smiles in the ruling party's quarters as a Swahili saying goes "adui yako mwombee mabaya" (wish evil things to your enemy)

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