President Jakaya Kikwete remains outstanding in the popularity ranks in Tanzania gaining 62% support according to the professional research agency – Steadman Group – in its quarterly opinion poll. The poll was held from February 13 to 19 and involved 2,000 respondents, distributed across the country. The National Chairman of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) Prof Ibrahim Lipumba and the National Chairman of the opposition CHADEMA party Freeman Mbowe tied at 14% each in the popularity rating.

The poll further showed that Tanzanians were likely to vote for either Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad, the Secretary General of CUF (23%) or Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, the likely candidate for the ruling CCM party (21%) as the President of Zanzibar. President Karume cannot stand for a third term.

The national soccer team coach Marcio Maximo also received a substantial vote as did CCM Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda.

The main issues of concern

Asked about the main issues which should be tackled immediately, the killing of Albinos came first (39%) and corruption (18%) came second. A little less than 20% said they would like the escalating costs of living to be looked at constructively. On the government’s performance in the last twelve months, 41% approved. Asked whether democracy was effective in the country, 57% said that there were minor problems but 26% said there were major problems.

Intense competition for seats

Some CCM MP’s are not sure of retaining their seats in the elections next year due to the intense rivalries in their constituencies. Raia Mwema named 15 well-known MP’s and ministers whose seats were said to be in danger. The battle seems to have already begun although this is contrary to electoral law.
Meanwhile CHADEMA Chairman, Freeman Mbowe has launched a series of rallies under the title ‘Operation Sangara’. In one ward in Moshi people donated more than TShs 300,000 to help the Operation and in another ward people donated TShs 600,000. Mbowe said CHADEMA needed financial support, unlike CCM, which got TShs 2 billion in state subventions every month – Majira.

Opposition MP bugged

The rooms in a Dodoma hotel in which the opposition CHADEMA’s Secretary General Dr Wilbroad Slaa and a fellow CHADEMA MP were staying was bugged recently. The device used was a digital sound recorder made in Russia. Mwananchi quoted the acting CHADEMA Secretary General John Mnyika as claiming that the bugging was part of a broader conspiracy against Dr Slaa and other outspoken MPs.

By-election ‘inquests’

There have been all kinds of ‘inquests’ into what happened in the recent Mbeya by-election which was won comfortably by the ruling CCM party. The big surprise was that the results set a new record with 65% of the registered voters failing to turn up to vote. Why? One reason given was that they did not see any real choice between CCM and CUF, after the CHADEMA candidate (who was said to be popular) was disqualified because he used the wrong lawyer when submitting his application. Voters may have assumed that CCM would win easily and that there was therefore no point in voting. Officially, CCM was said to have won the seat with 73% of the votes but it was 73% of the 35% of those who voted. Questions were raised when counting of the small number of votes in the 17 wards took 10 hours despite the low turn out. CUF Chairman Ibrahim Lipumba told the Guardian that a big number of would-be voters reported having had their IDs taken away by village and ward executive officers as a condition for being given vouchers for fertilisers.
While support for CHADEMA on the mainland seems to be growing, CUF still seems to find it difficult to appeal to mainland voters. The two parties who are supposed to be joined in an election pact are falling apart as they are unable to agree on candidates to stand against CCM in by-elections. Although their leaders are reported to be working together in Parliament they seem to be having real problems cooperating at party level in by-elections.

Two by-elections pending

The present political temperature in Tanzania is likely to be revealed when two by-elections take place in May. One is at Magogoni in Zanzibar where, among the first CCM members to compete for selection as the party’s candidate, was the son of former Zanzibar President Salmin Amour but he received only five votes during the party’s selection process.

The other by-election was to be in Busandu in Geita District and once again it seemed that CCM might win because of the intense rivalry between the opposition parties CHADEMA and CUF, both of which selected candidates to fight each other.
CCM challenges Mbowe

According to Mtanzania the CCM has claimed that CHADEMA leader Freeman Mbowe had ‘misused’ TShs 78 million given to him by the British Conservative Party for buying motorbikes. He had also been asked to account for TShs 15 million earmarked for bicycles for party councillors around the country. The CCM Treasurer said “Let him stop beating about the bush. He promised bicycles to the councillors. Where are they? If they intend to fight corruption let them start with themselves instead of accusing CCM all the time.”

“CUF victory in Zanzibar is a pipedream”

According to Habari Leo President Kikwete surprised many when addressing a crowd in the CUF stronghold of Pemba by saying that it was unlikely the opposition parties in Zanzibar would ever get to form the government. It was therefore in their interest to cooperate with the CCM government to bring about development. “Don’t wait for your party to win power, because that day may never come,” he said.

Zanzibar Minister: “We won’t share oil revenue”

The Act which originally established the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) ruled that exploiting oil and natural gas was a Union responsibility and not the responsibility of the Zanzibar government. However, Zanzibaris have not been happy about this and the disagreement has held up exploration in Zanzibar territory.

Addressing the House of Representatives, Zanzibar’s Minister for Water, Works, Energy and Land, Mansoor Himid, said the government wanted to remove the clause on oil and natural gas from the list of issues dealt with by the Union government on the ground that it did not benefit Zanzibaris. He said it was a contradiction of the Union constitution and that of Zanzibar. CUF MP’s agreed.
A team of British consultants had recommended that oil remain a Union matter and that a special joint body should be set up to oversee licensing, prospecting and drilling. Himid told the House, to considerable applause, that the Zanzibar government rejected these recommendations.
The consultants had noted that the oil deposit in Zanzibar was very small and was therefore not economically viable. One MP said: “Even if it is only a pint it is ours and ours alone” – Mtanzania.

Muslims declare jihad

The ‘League for Awakening and Propagation of Islam’ in Zanzibar (JUMIKI), also quoted in Mtanzania, declared that people supported the Zanzibar government and were prepared to form a special squad to defend the oil deposits in the island. A spokesman said: “We will volunteer to work with local forces such as the coastal guards (KMKM), the National Service (JKU), fire brigade and militia to protect our oilfields.” Minister Himid later said that the government had accepted the recommendations of the House over oil and they would be tabled before the Revolutionary Council. The final recommendations would be handed to Zanzibar Chief Minister Shamsi Nahodha to present to the joint Union Consultative Committee. Nahodha promised to work on the recommendations of the House “in the interest of Zanzibaris.”

CUF elections

The CUF party held elections for its top posts in March. Its leader, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba (56), although he was unsuccessful in fighting for the presidency of Tanzania in 1995, 2000 and 2005, won a landside victory amongst party delegates with 646 votes. A retired army officer, Stephen Massanja came second with 10 votes but a Professor Abdul Safari (56) who came third with six votes, complained that the entire party machine had been mobilised against him. Seif Shariff Hamad, the leader of the CUF party in Zanzibar, easily held on to his position as Party Secretary General – The Citizen.

‘Pinda and the Speaker should learn from Obama’

The Muslim newspaper An-Noor in an editorial in April wrote that, while he was in Turkey, President Obama told Muslims that the USA “is not, and will never be, at war with Islam”. Extracts from the article:

‘Obama then spoke to university students. As he was answering their questions, the mosques started calling worshippers to prayers. Obama told the students he would have to wind up as it was time for prayers. This is a far cry from the attitude of our Speaker Samuel Sitta and Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda. For them Friday prayer time was an appropriate time for them to present speeches for winding up the Parliamentary session. Our leaders need to learn from their mentor (Obama), for many a time we see state officials ignoring Muslims while planning their meetings. Of course, Obama has a long way to go, for his peace overture to Muslims is not enough while he continues arming and empowering Israel to massacre Muslims in Gaza.’

Colonel Gaddafi at the AU summit

President Kikwete has completed his term as Chairman of the African Union (AU) and Libya’s leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, has succeeded him. At a summit meeting in Addis Ababa, Colonel Gaddafi lost no time before making some highly controversial statements. “Our parties (in Africa) are tribal parties – that is what has led to bloodshed.” He referred to countries like Kenya where elections were followed by ethnic killings and there was also war-torn Somalia. “We don’t have any political structures, our structures are social” he said. The best model for Africa was his own country (where opposition parties are not allowed).

The meeting had to be extended into a fourth day after disagreements over Gaddafi’s plan to create a United States of Africa. He envisaged a single African military force, a single currency and a single passport so that Africans could move freely around the continent. He called for integration to begin immediately. But many of his fellow leaders said the proposal would add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy. They said they would study the unity proposal, make a report and meet again in three months time. The BBC quoted one participant as saying that Gaddafi then appeared to admit defeat and laid his head on the table in despair, before he left the meeting. Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said: “He didn’t walk out, he just got tired.”

Before arriving at the summit, Col. Gaddafi had circulated a letter saying he was coming as the King of the traditional kings of Africa because in August 2008 a group of 200 traditional leaders had name him the “King of Kings” of Africa.

The BBC’s Mark Doyle commented that many people were wondering what direction the 53-member African Union would take under his leadership over the next 12 months.

Visiting Shinyanga, the region most affected by the killing of Albinos, so that their body parts can be used in traditional medicine, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda made a controversial statement suggesting that those caught red handed murdering albinos should be instantly killed. To wait for court action was to delay justice, he said. . “I know some people will raise the question of human rights but I can’t accept a situation when someone is handed to the police and then stands trial that drags on for years.”

He said that while he was on tour three more albinos had been killed and the people who killed them just cut off the organs which they needed. He went on: “My intention was good. I intended to threaten the killers into stopping their brutal actions and I thought that what I said would help in the efforts to curb the problem.”
The Chairman of the UDP party, John Cheyo, said his party supported the idea of summary execution of people caught killing albinos, adding that no other punishment was suitable for them. He said that the ritual killing of albinos had become a national crisis while many of the perpetrators were acquitted – Majira.

When the PM returned to the parliament in Dodoma, opposition parties demanded that he should resign. Pinda apologised for his remarks in Shinyanga and, in tears, explained that he had been very upset by the magnitude of the problem he had found while on his tour. His apology was accepted. He added that he had requested religious and political leaders to help end the problem which was ruining the good image of the country. Al-Shymaa Kwegyir MP, who is an albino, said there had been nothing wrong with the statement because the PM’s intention was to end the killings. Those condemning the PM had never visited the places where albinos were being killed – Guardian.

Pinda also announced that he was going to revoke licences for traditional healers as a step towards combating the killings. He has been assured by the Attorney General that this could be done under the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act 2002. Pinda asked regional and district heads and local governments to enforce the order. Those applying for fresh licenses should submit their medicines to the Muhimbili National Hospital for scrutiny and approval – Tanzania Daima.

Meanwhile, the Sunday Observer asked: ‘Is Ukerewe Island becoming a safe hideout for albinos?’ It reported that many Albinos were flocking to the remote island in Lake Victoria, where killing them is rare.

Ms Corner presents her credentials to President Kikwete

Britain has a new High Commissioner in Dar es Salaam. She is Ms Diane Corner and is being accompanied by her husband and four children. Ms Corner has wide diplomatic experience in Africa. She has just finished a tour as Deputy High Commissioner in Sierra Leone, prior to which she held a similar position in Zimbabwe. The outgoing High Commissioner, Philip Parham, is being posted to New York as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.

At a very large Britain-Tanzanian Society reception at the Central Methodist Hall in London in honour of the departing and arriving High Commissioners, guests included Mrs Sarah Brown, the Prime Minister’s wife who had taken time to attend, even though she was hosting a dinner at No 10 later that evening (Mrs Brown is a member of the Society, as she spent her childhood years in Tanzania). Former British Home Secretary David Blunket MP and Shadow Minister of Health and Chair of parliament’s ‘All Party Group on Tanzania’ Stephen 0’Brien MP also attended as did the Tanzanian High Commissioner in London Mrs Mwanaidi Maajar.

Philip Parham, in his speech, said that existing good relations with Tanzania would continue in New York, as the alphabetical arrangement of seats in the Assembly meant that the UK and Tanzania always sit next to each other!

COUPS IN MAURITANIA, GUINEA BISSAU AND MADAGASCAR
As parts of Africa seemed to be returning to the era of government change by coup d’etat, President Kikwete reiterated his strong objections, upholding the stand he has been taking during his one year as Chairman of the AU. He said he differed emphatically from the newly elected AU Chairman, Col. Muammar Gaddafi and the Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who had presented a request that membership of Mauritania and Guinea Bissau be restored to the AU.

Kikwete spoke even more strongly against the coup in Madagascar. With the support of many heads of state and to widespread applause of other members at the UN Conference Centre Economic Committee for Africa (UNCC-ECA) in Addis Ababa, he requested his fellow leaders in Africa to be honest when discussing important issues about African development. President Wade had defended his call to allow military governments in AU, saying that the Guinea coup was being supported by the people. President Kikwete said: “It is very simple for the army to organise people into the streets and make them sing praises. You can do anything when you have a gun, and I know that because I was once in the army….If you want to become a President, first resign from the army, as I did” he said. – Guardian.

AND THE SUDAN
President Kikwete, together with other African heads of state has condemned the action of the International Criminal Court in indicting Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes. Their fear is that arresting Al-Bashir could worsen the situation in Darfur.

However, former Tanzanian Foreign Minister Dr Asha Rose Migira, who is now the Deputy Secretary General of the UN in New York, does not agree. According to the East African she told the media in Dar es Salaam that the UN recognised and respected the decisions of the Court as a legally instituted authority. “President Al-Bashir must cooperate with the court” she said.

President Kikwete and President Hu Jintao

Needless to say, considering the good relations that have existed between Tanzania and China for over 45 years, when President Hu Jintao planned his second visit to Africa, Tanzania, was on the itinerary – together with Senegal, Mali and Mauritius.

“Our relationship with Tanzania can be viewed as an exemplary relationship of sincerity, solidarity and cooperation” said President Hu. President Kikwete said Tanzania and China enjoyed a special relationship, which was initiated by the previous leaderships of both nations. The visitor was accorded a 21-gun salute before inspecting a guard of honour at the welcoming ceremony at the Karimjee Hall. A large number of Tanzanians greeted the Chinese leader by playing drums and trumpets, clapping their hands and waving flags.
Major streets of Dar es Salaam were also festooned with the national flags of both countries and banners that read ‘Welcome President Hu’ and ‘Long Live China-Tanzania Friendship.’ Some local people wore costumes and shirts featuring Hu’s picture.

In his speech President Hu said he appreciated Tanzania’s efforts to ensure the smooth relay of the Olympic torch when it was in Dar es Salaam last year (see TA 90) as well as its adherence to the ‘One-China’ policy. The Chinese President brought a $21.95million aid gift with him and said his government would invite young Tanzanians to visit China and would offer more scholarships. On the global financial crisis, he said China would keep its promise not to reduce aid to Africa – Guardian.