Doubts as some CCM members may support Ukawa

An investigative piece of information can reveal that, there are some members of the ruling party who in one way or another are behind in support of movements by the Coalition of Defenders of the People’s Constitution (Ukawa) but do not want to show up openly. Ukawa members who have been organizing various political platforms by conducting debates concerning the writing of national constitution outside the Constituent Assembly (CA), consists of three major political parties namely Chadema, CUF and NCCR-Mageuzi. The group is in support of the three tier government structure which the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) proposed in its final draft it presented to the CA, but the ideas were later on thwarted by the majority ruling party who stick to the two tier government structure. Some interviewed members currently attending CA sessions who spoke on strict condition of anonymity said mid this week that, when the draft was presented by the CRC’s Chairman Judge Joseph Warioba, some members of the ruling party supported and accepted the opinions endorsed by the commission in the draft. According to the source, their minds were dashed off later on when President Jakaya Kikwete announced party’s stand on two tier government structure in his inaugural speech of the CA. Sources maintain that, probably they might have been annoyed by what the chairman insisted in his speech and later opposed by Ukawa an aspect that forced them to walk out of the debating chamber. Although there is no direct evidence to prove such claims, critics have queried their absence. However, since the start of the registration there is suspicion among CCM members who have not turned up, and thus their absence has posed doubt as they might have also boycotted the CA sessions. Unlike the Ukawa group who have openly declared not to attend. The registration process of the CA members which entered its third day on Thursday this week has shown that, the majority members of the ruling party have turned up with only few of them who have not turned up for unknown reason. Their absence however, has created doubts and suspicion among some members who have started to question themselves to get the truth on their whereabout in order to clear out their e  When contacted for comments, the CA Clerk Yahya Hamisi Hamad said that, there are some members who have sent an excuse clarifying reasons why are not yet ready to attend the ongoing sessions by now. However, he said in an exclusive interview that his office continues to receive delegates and up to Thursday noon about 425 out of 628 members had already registered.  He said adding that about 204 delegates who have not yet confirmed their participation most of them are from Ukawa group including some few CCM members.  However, he further noted that, for the case of Ukawa members are afraid to turn up owing to directives issued by their leaders who have declared to boycott sessions and whoever would dare to oppose is likely to lose party’s membership. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the CA Samwel Sitta has warned the role of Ukawa members who continues to conduct meetings discussing about the writing of the new constitution outside the debating chamber. Sitta issued his concern on Tuesday this week when addressing members of the CA who turned up in the first day to resume the second phase discussions of the national constitution. He said various political platforms organized by Ukawa have negative distortions as they are full of abuses which are likely to cause misunderstands among citizens in the country about the whole process. However, Sitta used the opportunity to clarify the meaning of the draft as it is described according to the law and noted that, ‘this is just a mere document which is not yet approved to make it effectively work. He therefore noted that, once such a document has been put for discussion, the CA has the right to rectify it wherever necessary and that it could be meaningless for the CA to be handed over with a draft without amending it. Otherwise, he further noted there was no need for the Constitution Review Commission team to hand it over to members of CA for discussion, or else they could have taken it straight to the general public to vote for it. Sitta is on the view of the fact that, it is only the CA which has the audacity to discuss what is inside the draft and no any other institutions or a group of people such as Ukawa  before it is taken to people for a referendum.