Chadema plans to expel 3 councillors

Dar es Salaam. Chadema plans to expel three councillors in the Southen Highlands for allegedly attending a meeting organised by Deputy Speaker Tulia Ackson.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Chadema Mbeya Urban chairman Obadia Mwaipalu named the three, with their wards in brackets, as Mr Godfrey Kajigili (Sisimba), Mr Humphrey Ngalawa (Lwambi) and Mr Newton Mwatujobe (Manga).

The decision comes just a week after it was reported that Dr Ackson planned to vie for the Mbeya parliamentary seat in the 2020 election.

On Friday, Mr Mwaipalu wrote to the party’s national leaders to notify them about an intention to suspend the three councillors from Chadema membership.

“They refused to obey a directive issued by the party in April and travelled to Dodoma to attend the event that was organised by Dr Ackson. They have a tendency of refusing to accept party directives,” he said.

“We wrote to them on May 25 requiring them to explain why they ignored the party’s directive, but they haven’t responded to date,” he added.

He said Mr Kajigili had been campaigning for Dr Ackson.

When reached for clarification, Mr Kajigili said he would speak out after his reception of a party letter.

Meanwhile, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) yesterday announced the appointment of new eight special seats councillors to fill the seats left vacant CCM and Chadema leaders for various reasons.

A statement by NEC chairman Semistocles Kaijage indicates that the nomination was made during a meeting on July 19 in the city.

“The nomination was made after receiving information from the minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Authorities…the minster has the mandate to do so under Section 13 (1) of the Local Authorities Act,” read part of the statement.

He named the new councillors as Ms Ajira Rajabu Kalinga (Songea-CCM), Ms Mary Kazindogo Mbilinyi (Makete-CCM), Ms Zainab Abdi Mabrouk (Kongwa-CCM), Ms Restuta Aloyce Gardian (Muleba-CCM), Ms Siglinda Sylvester Ngwega (Morogoro-CCM), Ms Zena Saadi Luzwilo (Kahama-CCM), Ms Neema Michael Massawe (Monduli-Chadema) and Ms Teodola Myula Kalungwana (Iringa-Chadema).