Politicians’ wish list as nation ushers in new year

Dar es Salaam. Political parties’ leaders are celebrating the New Year today hoping that 2019 will open doors for reconciliation amid the growing political polarisation as the country prepares for the General Election next year.

In interviews with The Citizen yesterday, the leaders were of the opinion that given the current political and economic situations that the country is going through there is an urgent need to build more bridges across the political spectrums.

Chadema secretary general Vincent Mashinji said that the government could not dismiss the need for national reconciliation, saying doing so risked further dividing the country into pieces, something he warned that portended some serious possibilities of political raptures ahead of the General Election.

“The social, economic and political realities on the ground will force the government into reconciliation,” said Mr Mashinji optimistically. “I know that some people perceive (President John) Magufuli as a defiant ruler but I’m convinced that he will wake up to the realities and see reasons for engagement.”

Moving towards that direction, some leaders have emphasized the importance on the part of the government to adhere to laws and regulations that the country has chosen to follow to guide its political activities.

The National Communication director of the CUF faction led by embattled national chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, Mr Abdul Kambaya, is of opinion that there will be nothing to hope for in 2019 if the government will continue what he called the behaviour of running the country with no regard to the Constitution and other laws.

“We’ll continue fighting for democracy as that is what we are here for,” said Mr Kambaya. “We’ll insist on the need to respect the laws so as to prevent this country from violence and bloodshed.”

Asked what he is hoping the year 2019 will deliver to his party politically, CUF director for foreign affairs Ismail Jussa said he banks all his hope from the people. This is because, he argues, all changes must be championed by the people themselves and not a select bunch of leaders.

The awakening of the people has undoubtedly increased and this by any means is the reason to be hopeful for,” said Mr Jussa. “It is this awakening and its probability to produce something more tangible that we can count on as we move into 2019.”

ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe welcomes 2019 with a determination to disobey the government ban on political rallies as he plans to organize demonstrations to demand new constitution and an independent electoral commission and an end to persecution against citizens by the state organs.

“No government will allow us to implement our plans and no real opposition will wait for the government to allow it,” said Mr Kabwe. “We will act in the confines of laws and constitution and use courts to challenge unconstitutional laws.”