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Ikulu responds to Chadema to a
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Tuesday, 22 November 2011 22:53
http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/component/content/article/37-tanzania-top-news-story/17321-ikulu-
responds-to-chadema-request.html

By Mkinga Mkinga
The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. President Jakaya Kikwete has agreed to meet with senior Chadema officials to hear their
concerns about the Constitutional Review Act Bill, which was passed by Parliament last week.The President’s
assistant press secretary, Ms Premi Kibanga, confirmed to The Citizen last night that State House had received
an official request from Chadema for a meeting with President Kikwete.

“I can confirm that we have received a letter from Chadema requesting for a meeting with His Excellency the
President, who, I am happy to report, has indicated that he is ready to meet with the party’s representatives,” Ms
Kibanga said in a telephone interview.

State House’s reaction came a day after Chadema declared its intention to meet President Kikwete over the
contentious Bill, which is awaiting his assent.

Asked when the meeting would take place, Ms Kibanga said that it depended on the President’s schedule.
“I’m not currently in a position to state when the meeting would be held as this depends on the President’s
schedule.  What I can tell you is that the President has accepted the request,” she said.

Mr Kikwete, who is also the national chairman of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), is currently in Dodoma
chairing meetings of the governing party’s top organs.Chadema boycotted debate on the Bill when the
government tabled it in Parliament for the second reading last week.

The party had pressed for the Bill to be tabled for the first reading, saying the government’s insistence on
bringing it before the House for the second and final reading would lock millions of Tanzanians out of the process
to rewrite the Constitution.

However, the Bill was passed after four days of debate attended by CCM and Civic United Front (CUF) MPs. 
The opposition NCCR-Mageuzi, which does not always see eye to eye with Chadema, also boycotted the
debate.
Following its failure to convince the government to withdraw the Bill, Chadema announced on Monday that its
senior leaders would seek an audience with the Head of State
.
Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe told reporters in Dar es Salaam that they would brief the President on
“serious flaws” in the approved Bill.Chadema’s decision to opt for dialogue came as a surprise as the Opposition
party was widely expected to resort to mass action to get its message across.President Kikwete last Friday urged
people who were opposed to the Bill not to resort to actions that would precipitate chaos.

Addressing Dar es Salaam elders, President Kikwete said the door was not yet closed on those with alternative
views on the process of rewriting the Constitution.“Those who have not had what they desired should prepare for
the next stage…they should give their opinion to the commission charged with collecting views when it starts its
work,” he said adding:

“I know that they have constructive views, which they should forward to the commission. Demonstrations and
chaos are not the best way to go about this issue.”

A number of respected individuals, among them retired prime ministers Salim Ahmed Salim and Joseph Warioba,
last week intervened to seek an amicable solution after Chadema’s move to boycott the debate in Parliament
threatened to derail the process.Mr Mbowe announced on Monday that the Chadema Central Committee had
formed a seven-member team that would engage the President in discussions on the Bill.

The team comprises Mr Mbowe himself, his two deputies, secretary general Willibrod Slaa, Prof Mwesiga
Baregu, Prof Abdallah Safari and the shadow minister for Constitutional Affairs and Justice, Mr Tundu Lissu.

“We have come to the realisation that President Kikwete is being misinformed on what our demands are. As a
result, we are seeking audience with him as the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the defence and
security forces,” Mr Mbowe said.

Mr Mbowe, however, said the meeting would solely depend on President Kikwete’s willingness to have dialogue
with them.