Chadema gives ex-leaders official letters of dismissal

BY MALELA KASSIM

27th November 2013

Chadema chief legal counsel Tundu Lissu (R) displays copy of statement he claimed was prepared by Zitto Kabwe and Dr Kitila Mkumbo. (Photo: Khalfan Said)

Chadema National Secretariat has now officially issued letters to its three former senior officials after stripping them of their leadership positions last week on ‘conspiring trapped manifesto’ allegations.

The letters contain at least 11 reasons that led to the decision to strip the former officials of their posts. The officials are the party’s former Secretary General, Zitto Kabwe, a former member for the party’s Central Committee, Dr Kitila Mkumbo and the party’s Arusha regional chairman, Samson Mwigamba.
According Chadema's Public Ideology and Publicity Secretary, John Mnyika, the trio former leaders are given 14 days – from today - to give an explanation as to why the party should not take such strain measures against them.

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Mnyika confirmed that after the central committee stripped off the leadership positions of the three, the National secretariat went ahead and approved the decision.

“So the officials are supposed to defend themselves in writing - explaining why the party should not take these strain measures against them, including dismissing them from the party,” Mnyika said.

According to Mnyika after submitting their written defence, the officials will be required to defend themselves, in person, before the party’s national committee and then the committee will make the final judgment.

“The letters have listed eleven allegations based on their ‘conspiring trapped manifesto’ but we have not included others issues that Kabwe and Mkumbo told journalists in Dar es Salaam recently,’’ he said.

Chadema Chief legal adviser, Tundu Lissu, noted that the officials are alleged to have prepared a conspiring manifesto and that is the main reason behind their dismissal and not any other ‘speculative claims’ that have been said subsequently.

“It should be noted that the 11 allegations contained in the letters have nothing to do with the party’s auditing, sitting allowances in the Parliament, his (Kabwe’s) betrayal allegations during the last 2010 general election and other issue which Kabwe has been narrating to the public,’’ the chief legal adviser noted.

According to Lissu, any party member has the right to contest for any post in the party by declaring his/her ambition publically. However, Lissu said the three did the contrary, working in isolation and secrecy.

Lissu said similar ‘hard but just decisions’ have had to be taken before, citing 2004 and 2007 cases where the former vice chairman, late Chacha Wangwe, and former secretary general Dr. Warid kabour were suspended.

Meanwhile the party has declared its elections will be held June 23 to 30 next year adding that initial preparations for election at lower levels has already started.

“Currently the registration for party’s members is going on…started on November 22, this year countrywide,’’ said Benson Kigaila, the party director of organisation and training announced. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN