Ukawa accuses Ikulu of foul play

Coalition of People’s Constitution (UKAWA)  Co-Chairman, from left, James Mbatia, Prof, Ibrahim Lipumba and general Secretary Dr Wilbroad Silaa  walks to the press Conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, about local government election.  PHOTO | ANTHONY SIAME 

By Songa wa Songa,The Citizen Reporter

IN SUMMARY

• Opposition coalition says State House plans to set aside Sh2.5 billion in public funds to campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum

Dar es Salaam. Opposition leaders yesterday accused State House of planning to spend billions of shillings in public funds to popularise the proposed constitution.

Quoting what they claimed was a circular leaked from State House, leaders under the umbrella of Coalition of Defenders of the Peoples’ Constitution (Ukawa) revealed a “media plan” to popularise the proposed constitution.

Irked by the dwindling support for the law on one hand and the growing opposition to the document on the other, State House has foreseen slim chances of it sailing through referendum and has chipped in with the game-changer plan at the expense of taxpayers, according to Ukawa.

In the alleged plan, poised to cost tax payers Sh2.5 billion, selected radio and television stations and newspapers have been earmarked for a grand campaign designed to create mass awareness with the objective of delivering the proposed mother law through a yes vote in the coming referendum.

Speaking to the media in the city, CUF chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, Chadema secretary general Willibrod Slaa and NCCR-Mageuzi  chairman James Mbatia named other groups targeted in the plan as Bongo Flava artistes and representatives of groups whose rights have been provided in the law for testimonies.

Also, seminars would be held all over the country, dance troupes would be organised and billboards erected with messages supporting the proposed constitution. But bigger chunk of the money, according to Ukawa leaders, would go to selected TV and radio station where sensitisation programme ‘Know the Proposed Constitution’ would be introduced.

The execution plan would involve participation of state from buying the airtime, deciding who from the station would moderate and who would be as studio guest. The document whose copy was distributed to the media indicates that moderators would pocket Sh200,000 per programme and guests referred to as ‘Resource Persons’ would receive Sh500,000.

Editors have also been earmarked as key group to help execute the plan and according to the circular, negotiations were underway and a budget was being prepared.

The document, signed by S.N.B Rweyemamu and sent to one of presidential aides, begins thus: “As you know, His Excellency President has directed, and insisted, the importance of the aforementioned plan, that aims to achieve the following:

(a)To create awareness on the proposed constitution among wananchi for them to understand it so that they vote yes in the referendum;

(b)To counter falsification peddled by groups that opposed the proposed constitution;

(c)To save the government from the shame should the people reject the proposed constitution in the referendum because it the government’s constitution;

(d)To ensure that the media do not seem to support the proposed constitution but deliver it.”

Efforts to get comment from the directorate of communications in the State House were unsuccessful.

But Ukawa leaders maintained that they don’t have issues with the plan per se but the source of its funding: public coffers.