Katiba deal: You have betrayed us, JK told

President Jakaya Kikwete.

PHOTO|FILE 

By Katare Mbashiru ,The Citizen Reporter

IN SUMMARY

At any rate, there was no way Mr Kikwete would have crossed the boundaries and broken the law--which is clear on what should happen immediately after the handing over of the Proposed Constitution.

Dar es Salaam. Political pundits, activists and politicians have taken a swipe at President Jakaya Kikwete over his announcement in China that the referendum on the Proposed Katiba will be held in April, 2015. They accuse him of betrayal.

The President’s critics says he appears to have forgotten the promise he made at a Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD) meeting in Dodoma that the referendum would come after the 2015 General Election.

Mr Kikwete made the contentious remarks on Wednesday when addressing diplomats in China.

He told the representatives of various countries: “The process of writing my country’s new constitution has reached a good stage and, should things go as planned, the referendum will be held any day in April.

We are just looking for a specific day for that historic event.”

But political analysts, activists and politicians who spoke with The Citizen on Sunday went on the attack, accusing Mr Kikwete of “bulldozing” the process of writing the new constitution.

Prof Gaudence Mpangala of Ruaha University College accused the ruling CCM of wanting to pass the Proposed Constitution in mysterious ways--supposedly just as it was endorsed by the Constituent Assembly. “I totally disagree with the process, Prof Mpangala said, “The Head of State is trying to legalise a document that he surely knows is not people-centred.”

But Dr Benson Bana, a lecturer in the department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Dar es Salaam, was of the view that the agreement between Mr Kikwete and TCD members was not meant to be enforced and was essentially a pact between politicians.

Mr Kikwete probably put aside the agreement, according to Dr Bana, because of the politics that came after the meeting. “When you come from the negotiating table and start shouting,” he added, “the President will lose confidence in you.”

At any rate, there was no way Mr Kikwete would have crossed the boundaries and broken the law--which is clear on what should happen immediately after the handing over of the Proposed Constitution.

Open University of Tanzania lecturer Emmanuel Mallya said shelving the TCD agreement in favour of the referendum was a clear sign that the ruling party was working round the clock to ensure it accomplished its mission--which is driven by the ruling party’s perspective.

“Mr Kikwete initially thought a two-thirds majority was not possible,” he added. “But after realising that they had managed that in the Constituent Assembly, they are now trying to fast-track the referendum to suit the interests of their party.”

In September, TCD chairman John Cheyo told a news conference in Dodoma after a meeting with President Kikwete at Kilimani State Lodge that those present agreed unanimously that the referendum be called off on the grounds that it was unlikely to deliver on the promise. Mr Cheyo was categorical that the decision to halt the crafting of a new constitution was reached upon realising that the time left to the 2015 General Election was not enough to accomplish such a big task.

But the National Electoral Commission (NEC) said on Friday that it was in a position to make the necessary preparations for the April 2015 event. NEC Deputy Chairman Hamid Mahamoud told reporters that a new voter register will have been completed by April 18, paving the way for the referendum.

NEC’s declaration did not go down well with Tanzania Constitution Forum (TCF) chairman Deus Kibamba, who said: “You cannot have a referendum before allocating enough time for civic education. This process has been hijacked by officials who do not know what they are doing.”

Chadema’s Dr Willibrod Slaa said he was stunned by statements on the referendum coming from government officials and expressed surprise that the country had got to a stage where the executive branch of government spoke without consulting others.

He was referring to the comments of President Kikwete and Attorney General Fredrick Werema on the timing of the referendum. On Monday, Judge Werema declared that the country was ready for a referendum on March 30 next year. In another interview, though, the AG told Reuters that the referendum would be held on April 30.

Two days later, Mr Kikwete came up with yet another declaration, saying the referendum would be held in April. According to the President, the government was still working on the specific date to stage the historic event.

Alex Kakala • 

Probably you all new before hand that this regime don not understand soft way of doing things. They only understand hard way, similar to extremists. Dialog is not their way, they only use the slogan to smoother the people. When people take to the streets and demand their rights similar to recent Mtwara residents oil and gas development issue, then only they will genuinely listen. But it is not only Tanzania, most of African governments operate on this fashion. Tanzania citizen need to stop crying for milf like cats instead stand firm and take the bull by the horn! or else we just accept corruption and manipulative CCM government! 
Even opposition can't unite to form a single united opposition party to take on arrogant CCM , what else? They opposition are playing on peace meal basis, trying out something individually, fail they sign cooperation agreement between party presidents, all these wastage of time, March April 2014 was their cut off date to form a single party and start mobilizing people through out the country based on such strong united force, that could have energized them up to constitution assembly CA and CCM what be playing to them like what they are doing now. 
Opposition should know the end game, which is referendum will go ahead and majority will vote to approve the proposed constitution as 75% of Tanzanians live in the villages as farmers, CCM has already completed the campaign!
Unity is the key to success in politics, we can't change the history, not united then forget it!