Mbatia flouts party members with mindset on religion and tribalism

THE National Chairman for NCCR-Mageuzi party James Mbatia has strongly criticized religion and tribalism attitudes which he said has started to emerge among his fellow party members when casting their votes to prospective candidates vying for leadership positions within his party. Mbatia threw a challenge last week in Dar es Salaam in his introductory remarks while addressing members of his party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) who had gathered moments before their election started. The party held general elections to choose its new members for NEC and top most positions of the party’s chairmanship for Tanzania mainland as well as Zanzibar respectively. A total of 234 out of 289 NEC members attended. Blasting over the issue, Mbatia noted that there are some members who have formed a tendency of asking to know the religion or tribes of the contestants while knowing that, the habit is quite against their party’s manifestos, he queried wondering where the party is heading. The meeting which was preceded by holy prayers of both Islamic and Christian denominations was attended by other political party leaders including the registrar of the political parties in the country Judge Francis Mutungi who was the Chief Guest. Other political leaders with their parties in brackets included CCM Vice-Chairman Phillip Mang’ula (CCM), Professor Ibrahim Lipumba (CUF), Freeman Mbowe (Chadema), Wilbroad Slaa (Chadema) Seif Khatibu (CCM) and a prominent businessman in the city Mustapha Sabodo.  In his speech, Mbatia cautioned his fellow members to get away with such habit noting that, the two attitudes are the main cause of divisions which leads to political mishaps in a country which is determined and committed into the building of proper democratic rule. He has cautioned his fellow party members not to elect their leaders by looking at somebody’s religious or tribe but rather they should look at somebody’s ability to rule regardless of either of the two affiliations.  In his long speech, Mbatia reiterated the need of quality education in the country which he said if this is not taken into account the nation would be producing narrow minded citizens with low level of the capacity thinkin. However, under this aspect he had hailed education for self-reliance which the Father of the Nation the Late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere pursued for Tanzanians in 1960s, 70s up to mid 80s. However, he said it actually built the capacity of most Tanzanians who were prepared to be self reliant and dependent during the socialist era than as the case today when Tanzania does not have a proper education curriculum which would drive candidates have more power of thinking. He also reminded members of his party about the history of the multi politics that NCCR-Mageuzi is the renaissance of the political movement for change in the country when it was first known as the National Committee for Constitutional Reform formed in 12^th June 1991. 

NCCR-Mageuzi Chairman James Mbatia addressing fellow members (not in the picture)

But this name was later on changed when the focus on movements for constitution changed and became a political party when the nation allowed the formation of the multi-partism democracy on 10^th February 1993 and came to be known as National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi (NCCR-Mageuzi). Mbatia also used the opportunity to clear the worries of most his members who thought his party had chased away a Member of Parliament for Kigoma South David Kafulila and said that he is an active member of the party may be he decides himself to quit. On his part the Chief guest, Judge Mutungi has reinforced unity among the party and asked members to choose leaders who would stand for the national unity and not otherwise.On his part, the leader of the opposition camp in Parliament Freeman Mbowe noted that, without active participation the move towards democratic change would be impossible in Tanzania. Mbowe is on the view of the fact that, political parties need to unite in order to have an equal number of Parliamentarians in the House, and in this way he  said is one way to maintain a true democracy for all. However, he has wondered at this time when the nation is in constitutional review process, and blasted the CCM party’s ideas which says in its policies they know Tanzania has two governments and that are not accepting a three tier government structure. Elaborating on this, Mbowe noted that, CCM members should understand that, the national constitution does not entertain the interests of any party in the country, instead it looks at the national interests regardless of the party’s affiliations as the constitution is a property of Tanzanians and not parties. On his part, the CCM Vice-Chairman Phillip Mang’ula thanked James Mbatia for his leadership code which he said has taken the NCCR-Mageuzi party up to where it is now. He said that, the party had been the founder of the democratic change in the country in early 1990s and got into troubles in early 2000 and set apart. But because of his inspiration, he has however managed to lead the party into a high level standard that and in peace up to where it is now. Speaking on behalf of other invited guests, a prominent businessman in the city of the Asian origin Mustapha Sabodo noted that, unity is the strong weapon to bring democratic change in any society. Sabodo contributed Sh. 20 million to facilitate the party’s election process and has also promised to offer water wells in areas which have party’s representation in parliament.