Tanzania Parliament speaker finally swears in 19 Special Seats MPs from the opposition
What you need to know:
- Chadema is entitled to 19 Special Seats MPs who are picked basing on the total number of votes garnered by the party's Presidential candidate during the October 28, 2020 General Election.
Dar es Salaam. The puzzle surrounding the appointment of Special Seats Members of Parliament (MPs) from Chadema was finally unriddled on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 when the Speaker of the National Assembly finally swore in 19 legislators from the opposition party.
Mr Job Ndugai swore in the 19 Special Seats MPs from the opposition during a brief ceremony that was held at Parliament grounds in Dodoma.
Chadema is entitled to 19 Special Seats MPs who are picked basing on the total number of votes garnered by the party's Presidential candidate during the October 28, 2020 General Election.
The party’s Presidential candidate, Mr Tundu Lissu bagged 1.9 million votes, representing 13 percent of the total number of votes polled, according to official data from the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
The ruling CCM is entitled to 95 Special Seats MPs after its presidential candidate, Dr John Magufuli garnered a total of 12.5 million votes to secure a second five-year term in office.
However, Chadema and another opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, denounced the election results and called for new elections and mass protests.
Chadema’s Secretary General John Mnyika is on record saying that the party would not present the names of its Special Seat MPs on grounds that the elections were rigged.
Amidst such uncertainty, reports on social media platforms claimed that the 19 would be sworn in today.
And finally, the 19 stepped into Parliament grounds at around 3:00pm where they were sworn in as MPs.
The 19 include 14 who were MPs in the 11th Parliament while the remaining five are new faces.
The 14 include: former Kawe MP and chairperson for the opposition party’s women wing, Ms Halima Mdee, former Same East MP, Naghenjwa Kaboyoka, former Tarime Urban MP Esther Matiko and former Bunda legislator Esther Bulaya.
The list of those making it back to the August House include Grace Tendega, Cecilia Pareso, Kishoa David, Anatropia Theonest, Salome Makamba, Conchesta Rwamlaza, Hawa Mwaifunga and Tunza Malapo.
The five new faces include Agnes Kaiza, Asia Mohamed, Nustrat Hanje, Felister Njau na Stella Fiayo.
Ms Halima Mdee, former kawe MP.
The 19 brings the number of Chadema MPs in the House to 20.
Aida Khenan, who emerged the lone Chadema politician to win a parliamentary seat after trouncing CCM’s Ally Kessy by 1,254 votes in Nkasi North in Rukwa, was sworn in during parliamentary proceedings two weeks ago.
Speaking shortly after being sworn in, Ms Mdee thanked her party and its chairman, Mr Freeman Mbowe, saying it was on the party’s ticket that they become Special Seat MPs.
She said the 19 had become MPs not as a matter of charity, promising that they would work with everyone in the advancement of productive debate.
“We assure Chadema members across the country that we are going to do what they expect of us,” she said.
In his remarks, Mr Ndugai said he had received a letter, containing the 19 names from NEC.
