Ukawa demurs on presidential candidates' debate!

With only a day to go before a debate involving presidential candidates which has been organised by Twaweza, a non-governmental organization, the Chadema candidate representing the Coalition of Defenders of the People’s Constitution (Ukawa) is yet to confirm participation.

 

According to Twaweza, until yesterday only four parties had confirmed participating in the debate. They are Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC), ACT- Wazalendo and CHAUMA.

 

Speaking to the press in Dar ss Salaam yesterday,  Twaweza Executive Director, Aidan Eyakuze, said his office was going on with efforts to persuade Ukawa to participate in the debate.

 

Eyakuze said bringing the Ukawa candidate on board would provide fairness to the general public as it would give the chance to shoot questions to all the presidential candidates.

 

“We will release the list of topics to be debated tomorrow after receiving various opinions from the public,” he said.

 

“The procedure bars any candidate from entering the debating chamber with documents or any supporting material to help them answer questions,” he stressed.He said instead Twaweza would provide the candidates with notebooks and pens with which to jot down questions from the audience in the 90-minute debate.

 

The representative from Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC) wanted the government to introduce a law that will force each presidential candidate to participate in such a debate in the public interest.

 

ACT-Wazalendo officials said they were well prepared for the debate and their candidate would arrive in Dar es Salaam tomorrow for the debate.

 

An official from CHAUMA, on the other hand, said the debate, scheduled for tomorrow, would enable the public to decide on the right presidential candidate ahead of the October 25 general election. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN