Chadema still agree to disagree

BY GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY CORRESPONDENT

1st December 2013

The political wind in the leading opposition party Chadema has continued to blow in a bad direction with more reports of resignations of its top officials.

Reports that reached The Guardian late yesterday say Lindi regional chairman and central committee member Ally Omary Chitanda, announced his resignation from those posts.

Chitanda, who was also serving as secretary in the office of the party secretary general becomes the second high ranking cadre to resign after the MP for Mpanda Urban, Said Arfi, to relinquish his position as national vice chairman of the party, a day after the Chadema CC stripped off party posts on Kigoma North legislator Zitto Kabwe, CC member Dr. Kitila Mkumbo and Arusha regional chairman Samson Mwigamba last week.
Chitanda said in a press statement that he was relinquishing the posts in objection to religious segregation, tribalism and favouritism abounding in payments to executives of the party.

Another reason that sparked Chitanda’s resignation in a letter to the party regional secretary was the decision by the central committee to strip off positions on Kabwe and Dr. Mkumbo.

He said in the letter: “I cannot see now how I can fulfill my wish of liberating disadvantaged people through Chadema,” adding that he would, however, remain a member of that party.

Chitanda joined Chadema in 2003 from NCCRMageuzi.  He was opposed to appointment of five directors of Chadema and increasing their allowances from Sh800,000 to Sh1.5 million and even up to Sh2.5 million, and from Sh680,000 and Sh1.5 million for a senior officer.

In another development, Brig Greyson Nyakarungu who led dissent by students of high institutions of learning in Dar es Salaam, is alleging that Chadema leaders were threatening his life after being angered by taking the lead in organizing the student dissent against the CC decision. He has already reported the matter to the police.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY