In
unpresented move, a veteran politician and former cabinet minister has faulted top
most leaders of the ruling CCM party for what he termed as violation of ethical
leadership code when they publicly pronounced some cabinet ministers were a
burden to the nation. The two party leaders called the alleged ministers for
being burdensome on assumption that were not performing well to the people
irrespective of their portfolios. They
said about two months ago while in campaign meetings aimed to mobilize party’s
activities in a move to implement its manifestoes in southern regions of the
country. Kingunge Ngambale Mwiru issued his concern in an exclusive interview
early this week at his residence in Dar es Salaam. Kingunge’s call has come
amid the on-going debate of some people who complains why President Jakaya Kikwete
left the alleged burdensome ministers in his new cabinet list which he had
appointed and announced three weeks ago. Hopes by many people had it that, the
President would have listened to his fellow party leaders who are the Secretary
General Abdulhaman Kinana and NEC’s Secretary and party’s publicity Nape Mnauye
when preparing a reshuffle, on the grounds that he could have reacted on their recommendations.
During the interview, Kingunge noted that, there are some CCM party leaders who
are completely ignorant about the leadership barriers existing between them and
the government. However, he said adding that, there are procedures to be
followed on the side of the party’s jurisdiction once its member has messed up.
He said ministers are Members of Parliament and in view of this he has reiterated
that if a member of the ruling CCM party has faulted, he or she should be
reprimanded in party’s internal meetings instead of ridiculing them in public. “It
should have not been so, just because some people complained about their
performance and rated them down. He said this is a breach of ethical rule and poor
leadership guidance as far as their mission was concerned”, he asserted. He
said the ruling CCM party follows its policies when it comes to the issue of
reprimanding its members who seem to have flouted the party’s policies, and
does not bring such debates in public view the way Kinana and Mnauye did. Meanwhile,
a city based lawyer who has specialized in constitution has said that, the selection
of the cabinet ministers is a sole decision by the President as this is among
his responsibilities for which he doesn’t necessarily need to wait for the party
to say but rather are presidential prerogatives under which he should not have
been interfered with by any organ to implement. Jackson Makota, who is a
staunch member of CCM told the Guardian in an exclusive interview that, it was
a great mistake according the constitution for any organ, be it a ruling party,
NEC of the Central Committee which can force the President to change his
appointments whatsoever.
He said the matter is upon the President himself to
decide, others he noted among the prerogatives are amnesty for inmates, to
cancel death sentences already imposed to convicted killers and proclamation of
wars. Al these are his sole responsibilities according the constitution. Quoting
the relevant paragraphs in the constitution Section 55 which says that, the
President can at his own will appoint cabinet ministers and their deputies at
any number after having been advised by the Prime Minister. The appointed
ministers would change their duties on behalf of the President as in accordance
to the laws, but this does not necessarily mean that such ministers are not
responsible or accountable in any way by the directives of their party’s NEC. The
president is the one who can question the performances of his ministers and
their deputies. If the appointed ministers mess up and the President keeps
quite and takes no any action against them waiting for the masses to complain
to the extent and see them burdensome for the party, then it is the President
who has to be blamed for that. According to the CCM constitution section 109
has stated clearly that, among the major tasks the NEC contends with is for the
party only and not associated with the government duties. In this respect, the
Central Committee of the CCM party has no any mandate to call and interview or
direct the appointed ministers or anybody with presidential appointment
including PCs, DCs and basically this is such interference in one way or
another. Three weeks ago, State House Director of Communications Salva
Rweyemamu noted that, the President had committed his work and that there
should not be further argument on the matter. In November last year, the CCM
secretary General Abdulhaman Kinana and NEC secretary and Party Publicity Nape
Mnauye publicly announced some of the ministers in the current cabinet list to
be burdensome and that had requested President Jakaya Kikwete to remove them
from their portfolios. The proclaimed Ministers with their portfolios in
brackets are Dr. Shukuru Kawambwa (Education and Vocational training),
Christopher Chiza (Agriculture and Food security) and his deputy Adam Malima
who is now deputy minister for Finance. Others are Hawa Ghasia (Local
Government and Regional Administration) and her deputy Aggrey Mwanri. In a
recent cabinet reshuffles which was made on 19th January this year,
the President re-appointed the ministers who were complained to be burdensome. The
situation caused a severe debate over the issue from various groups of people
in the country.
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