NCCR-Mageuzi discontentment claims take new bizarre twist

THE opposition NCCR-Mageuzi saga has taken a new twist after the party’s Chairman of Trustees’ Council, Mr Mohamed Tibanyendera, dismissed as baseless discontent claims aired by some party members and officials.

Responding to allegations by the party’s Deputy Chairperson, Ms Leticia Mossore, that the party does not benefit from the coalition of opposition parties (Ukawa) and that they should withdraw from the said coalition.

Mr Tibanyendera said that the views were the deputy chairperson’s personal opinion and not the party’s official position, stressing that they would be the last party to withdraw from UKAWA. “As a party we have ways of presenting our position, but what the deputy chairperson said during a press conference she organised recently is not the way the party operates,” he clarified.

Earlier this week, Ms Mossore and other officials expressed concern over the number of constituencies allocated for the party within the coalition. It was revealed that out of 265 constituencies, NCCR-Mageuzi was allocated only 12, the rest going to three other parties in the coalition.

The officials expressed dissatisfaction over the small number of constituencies assigned to the party, saying that it was contrary to an agreement under Ukawa. Ukawa had agreed to feature a single candidate in the presidential, parliamentary and councillorship election that would be supported by all the parties.

In another development, NCCRMageuzi has reported to the police an alleged plot by unidentified people to harm national leaders especially the party chairman, Mr James Mbatia, for unknown reasons.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Mr Tibanyendera said the intelligence department learnt about plans by people clad in party’s uniform inclined to attack the party’s leaders.

“These are not party members yet pretend to fight for the party. We have received several threats in the past and remained silent, but this time we decided to take the matter to the police for action,” Mr Tibanyendera said.

Despite the fact that the motive behind the planned attack remains unclear, what is known is that those behind the plot are politically motivated. “There have been cases like this during the period of elections, for example when Chadema General Secretary, Dr Wilbrod Slaa, disassociated from the party some individuals who pretended to be Chadema members and dressed in the party uniform took to the street demanding reinstatement of Dr Slaa.

The motive behind was to cause uproar which did not happen,” he said. He called on the public to shun violence that may lead to a breach of the peace and unity that the country enjoys and also urged politicians to conduct fair political campaigns.