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CCM now blames CUF for engaging in...
2008-05-12 09:36:26
By Hellen Nachilongo
The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi yesterday accused opposition Civic United Front (CUF) of violating the pact (Muafaka) on the set up of a coalition government in Zanzibar by engaging in a prolonged exchange of words.
CCM blamed CUF for leaking secrets of the Muafaka talks to the public before even the negotiations had been conluded, saying it was contrary to what was agreed upon by the joint negotiation committee that drew representatives from the two parties.
The ruling CCM Secretary General, Yusuf Makamba, said the public announcement by CUF Secretary General, Seif Shariff Hamad that the talks had been concluded and that what remained was the signing of the pact doccument was untrue and a distortion of reality.
``We have not concluded the talks how come that the CUF Secretary General emerges with a public statement saying the negotiations have been concluded,`` questioned Makamba during a press conference he called yesterday.
Makamba, who was accompanied by veteran politician Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru, said the two parties agreed to start implementing a coalition government for Zanzibar after the 2010 general elections and not this time.
``The 2005 general elections were conducted on the basis of winner takes all basis. That is we agreed that coalition should start after the 2010 elections,`` he claimed.
For his part, Kingunge criticised opposition legislator Hamad Rashid\'s claims that CUF had won the 2005 elections, the critique which Makamba echoed saying the assertion was fueling political conflict in the country.
``Those who reject a legitimate government, create hatred and misunderstandings among members of the public,`` he said.
Under the current policy, a presidential winner has the right to embrace a coalition government or appoint a cabinet line-up from his or her party only, noted Makamba.
He called on CCM and CUF to strike a peace deal, insisting that political conflicts would not end in Zanzibar if the two parties would not sit down and chart out solutions for the on-and-off political conflict.
``Both CUF and CCM knows the historical background of politics there. It would be absurd to see CUF rejecting a public referendum on a coalition government,`` said Makamba.
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