Lipumba: Arrested CUF officials only scapegoats

 Arrested Civic United Front (CUF) officials allegedly for inciting Mtwara residents into protests that claimed several causalities have been described as mere scapegoat by the party’s national Chairman. 

Speaking to journalists after he opened a party meeting on strategies to win the 2015 general election, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba said the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and its government are to blame for the killings and property destruction in Mtwara. 

The Chairman of Youth Council Ahmed Katani is among the arrested officials, who are accused of instigating the protests against construction of a pipeline to Dar es Salaam. 

According to Prof Lipimba, soon after the gas discovery in Mtwara, the ruling party held a number of public rallies and promised that the government would build a power plant in Mtwara with the capacity of generating 300 megawatts. 

Further, he said in 2009 President Jakaya Kikwete reaffirmed the same promise in Dodoma during a public rally held at the Kilimani grounds. 

The president at that point also announced that apart from power generating plants the government will set up cement factories. 

Prof Lipumba said that according to the government and president’s pledge on the power generation project, five regions of Kigoma, Rukwa, Lindi, Ruvuma and Mtwara were to be connected to the national grid. 

The CUF chairman concluded that it is the breaking of these pledges that led to the violence in Mtwara yet now the government is unduly implicating his party.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN: http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=55551