Riots as Zitto ruling ‘delayed’

RIOTS ensued in the premises of the High Court in Dar es Salaam when an unruly mob, believed to be members and supporters of Chadema ran amok after ruling on an application by former deputy secretary General Zitto Kabwe was adjourned.

Mr Zitto, who is also Kigoma North Member of Parliament (MP) on the Chadema ticket, wants the opposition party’s central committee barred from discussing his membership until his man suit on the matter is determined by the court.

But when the court convened on the matter, Judge John Utamwa pushed forward the ruling on Mr Zitto’s application to this morning. In the main suit, Mr Zitto is asking the court to rule that the Central Committee (CC) of the party or any other subordinate party organ should not deliberate and/or determine the issue of membership until his appeal has been determined by the governing council.

He is also requesting the court to rule that the secretary general should be ordered to furnish him with the copy of proceedings and information as to the reasons for the decision by the committee so that he could lodge his appeal to the governing Council of the party.

But outside the court, two rival groups from Chadema, one in support of Mr Zitto and the other a ‘neutral’ one, appeared into the scene and started trading verbal jibes while holding banners that contained different messages.

While Mr Zitto’s supporters were heard chanting, “Zitto kwanza, chama baadae..Zitto kama Mandela” meaning “Zitto first, party later….Zitto like Mandela,” supporters of a unified Chadema retorted, “Zitto ni fisadi, Zitto ni kibaraka wa CCM” meaning “Zitto is corrupt, Zitto is a puppet of CCM.” The situation became even tenser when the two opposing groups started throwing stones at each other.

Such chaotic situation temporarily brought businesses in the vicinity to a standstill. It was at this juncture when the police around sprung into action and ordered all parties to the Chadema factions to vacate the area immediately. Several members of the police force, who were fully armed with tear gas bombs and dogs, had arrived in the area early in the morning to ensure security.

None of supporters of the party was allowed to enter the court premises, except advocates from the parties and some journalists who managed to enter the area to attend the court proceedings.

In the matter, Mr Zitto is represented by advocate Albert Msando, while advocates Peter Kibatala and Tundu Lissu are appearing for the party.

During hearing of the application, Mr Msando had told the court that if the injunctive orders would not be granted and the CC continues deliberating Mr Zitto’s membership and he is subsequently sacked, he would suffer greater hardship than the party, not only for his electorate but also the nation as a whole.

Countering the arguments by Mr Msando, Chadema advocates Mr Lissu and Mr Kibatala vehemently opposed the request on grounds that the applicant (Zitto) has failed to advance sufficient reasons to warrant the court to issue the reliefs sought.

They submitted that there was no evidence adduced in court to substantiate that if the CC goes on with its meeting, the only option for Zitto was to sack him. “He may be suspended or warned. Where are the irreparable losses that are being touted, nothing,” Mr Lissu had submitted.

Meanwhile, the two Chadema leaders who were relieved of their positions and later fired from the party, Dr Kitila Mkumbo and Samson Mwigamba have said they are in reflection time and will later declare their fate on politics. They equally said that it was important, first, to have sufficient time to critically think and later decide how to take up a fresh move in the politics.

Dr Mkumbo, formerly a party CC member and Mr Mwigamba, who was Arusha Regional Chairman along with the then deputy secretary general, Zitto Kabwe, were alleged to have engaged in a ‘treasonous plan to dismantle’ the party.

Both Dr Mkumbo and Mr Mwigamba were officially sacked by the party following the two-day CC meeting that sat in the city between January 3 and 4, while Mr Zitto’s fate remained untouched as the latter was engaged in a court battle to stop the leading opposition from taking further action against him.

Dr Mkumbo, who is also senior lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, told the ‘Daily News’ that it was a good time for reflection while fully analysing the country’s political situation.

“I am now reflecting on the latest saga and enjoying every moment of it. I will make my future plans in politics known later,’’ he said. Dr Mkumbo maintained that the spirit of political activism, which is inside his heart will not stop, adding that one can still engage in political activism without even being a member of a political party.

He noted that at the moment in time he was going on with his academic career, while involving detailed researches in politics which will later see him making a better decision on what to do concerning the field.

He also added that as a political analyst, he would now be in a better position to comment and write more freely and openly. On widespread rumours that they had plans to join the ruling CCM, Dr Mkumbo said that once the reflection time is over, everything would be made public, insisting that such talk is just chit-chat.

Mr Mwigamba said on his side that he would first consult with his close relatives and friends and heed to their advice on whether to go on with politics or to bid it farewell. However, he said that in order to live to his long time dream that started in the early 1990s, there was no way he could stop from engaging in politics.

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