TANZANIA: OPPOSITION Political parties unanimously decided to go back to parliament after talks with religious leaders.

By Sarah Pelaji, Kiongozi Newspaper TEC

Tanzania has in the recent past witnessed serious commotions in the National Assembly as members of the Opposition and the Ruling Party collide with each other over issues. At its peak the National Assembly misunderstandings led to members of the opposition boycotting sessions. At the same time, a number of opposition MPs have been barred from participating in Parliamentary sessions as a punishment for ‘misbehaving during Parliamentary sessions’.

Tanzania has also witnessed the President banning political activities for the rest of time until the next General Election 2020. As the Government has been firm with its rulings so has the Opposition with its defiance. The Government is blaming the Opposition for incitement while the Opposition is blaming the Government for attempting to kill Democracy

The opposition has been maintaining their stance to boycott all parliamentary sessions, formal meetings or even workshops, chaired by Deputy Speaker, Dr Tulia Ackson citing their conviction that Dr Ackson has been treating them unfairly. The culmination of these conflicts has seen political tension building in the country and fear of an eruption of political clashes.

It is on this backdrop that the Religious Leaders from across the board have come together to muster their effort in order to quell the tension. They have held a number of meetings which so far have are fruitful.

The first meeting was on “Religious Radicalization” and it was essentially a seminar for Bishops on dynamics around the subject. At the end of the seminar it was decided that leaders should meet again on 20th July together with their Muslim counterparts.

The second meeting was a consultative one and again under the same issue: Religious Radicalization. At the end of that consultation of Religious Leaders on Religious Radicalization, beside other resolutions, it was also decided that they meet and discuss the political situation of the country specifically on the boycott of Members of Parliament from Parliamentary Sessions (specifically sessions led by the Deputy Speaker).

The third meeting was conducted on 24th August where the Religious Leaders discussed both the boycott and demonstrations which against the president by the opposition. The Religious Leaders met with Opposition and Ruling Party at different slots of a 10 hours meeting. In the meeting the Opposition was very vocal with the idea that the country is run oblivious to the rule of law and that the Government is controlling the National Assembly.

The Religious leaders also questioned the wisdom of Opposition to boycott the sessions since they had not exhausted the Parliamentary procedures to deal with their case against the Deputy Speaker. After long discussion particularly with the Opposition leaders they agreed to go back to the Parliament, effective from Tuesday September 6.

The Depute Chairman of Opposition Parties James Mbatia who is the chairman of NCCR-Mageuzi party and the MP of Vunjo said that, they have accepted to go back to the Parliament meetings because of the respect they have on religious leaders.

“We shall participate while waiting for the religious leaders to solve this complicated political issues in Tanzania. Secondly we are not against the parliament and the Speaker but the Depute Speaker who has been treating us unfairly when the speaker Job Ndungai was away in India for medical checkups.” He said.

Meanwhile the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Bunda Renatus Nkwande said, the politicians must accept dialogue and accept each other to solve their differences for national development.

“The government should not mistreat the oppositional parties as though they are enemies and nothing to national development. Likewise, the oppositional parties should not criticize the government in everything it does because that is not political maturity. Both should accept challenges for the national welfare,” the bishop said adding that “I discourage how two sides create enmity. As long as we are in the system of multi-political party system, challenges and misunderstandings are normal but should be fairly for national growth not war,” he insisted.

Most Rev. Damian Dallu Archbishop of Songea said that, the main responsibility of religious leaders is to advise and each religious leader should really be there for the welfare of the nation instead of siding with any party.

“We should not give advice if we have interest with one side of conflict. They should not accept our advice with conditions because we are only advisors. If they accept the advice with conditions of doing certain issue for their own interest, then they are not ready for advice,” the Archbishop pointed out.

Archbishop Dallu further advised both the government and the opposition to give priority to national welfare instead of political interest. “If they are not careful they will make innocent people suffer for nothing,” he said.

Currently Religious Leaders are planning to meet with the President in the course of September, preferably between 12th and 16th and they are optimistic that the President will be willing this time to meet with them.

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