Zitto Kabwe
UPDATED: Sunday 9.45pm EAT Click here to go direct to this update
Or here for Saturday’s links
Zitto Kabwe, a hugely dynamic and popular young MP with the main Tanzanian opposition party, Chadema, was stripped of his official positions by party leaders in the early hours of Friday morning. He will no longer be the party’s deputy secretary, nor deputy leader of the opposition in parliament.
The reason? Party Chairman, Freeman Mbowe, explained that Zitto had been discovered to be part of a plot to overthrow the party leader and take over the position of party chair (and likely Presidential candidate), along with other related transgressions.
from Daily News
I will probably post some analysis of this major development as the story evolves further. But for the moment, here’s a collection of articles, posts, tweets, etc. on the story, which I will try to keep updated.
Friday 22nd November
The story as it broke, on Jamii Forums: Zitto na Kitila wavuliwa vyeo vyote ndani ya chama
Live coverage of the press conference held by Chadema’s Executive Committee, also on Jamii Forums: Ufafanuzi wa CHADEMA Kuhusu Maazimio ya Kamati Kuu – Novemba 2013
Third, and again from Jamii Forums, what claims to be the document written by Zitto and three others plotting an internal party coup, as referred to by the official statement from Chadema above: Waraka uliowaondoa Zitto Kabwe na Kitila Mkumbo huu hapa
Chadema’s official statement and a resignation letter from deputy chair, via wavuti.com.
And some initial reactions on Twitter:
January Makamba seems pleased, apparently keen to rub salt in Zitto’s wound:
@zittokabwe kama wenzako hawathamini kazi kubwa uliyofanya kukijenga Chama chenu na kazi unayofanya Bungeni, karibu CCM tuijenge nchi.
— January Makamba (@JMakamba) November 22, 2013
Semkae Kilonzo suggests who the real winners are here:
Q. What does CCM and Chuck Norris have in common? A. They always win in the end. pic.twitter.com/X0f8lvNe0r
— Semkae Kilönzö (@Semkae) November 22, 2013
My own perspective:
As usual, it’s all about 2015: the internal fights come first, just as hot as the election itself @ChademaTz@ccm_tanzania#zitto#tanzania
— Ben Taylor (@mtega) November 22, 2013
And a response from the official Twitter account of CCM:
@mtega@ChademaTz it’s not like that..,its not our party interest.,we are trying our best to help them.
— Chama Cha Mapinduzi (@ccm_tanzania) November 22, 2013
It’s tempting to think this tweet tacitly acknowledges CCM involvement in this matter, but I can’t be sure. Either way, the suggestion that this doesn’t benefit CCM is nonsense.
One last initial reaction on Twitter: @lifeofmshaa thinks Chadema risks heading the way of CUF and NCCR.
@noor_abdul mIFUMO KAMA HII INAJENGA WANASIASA WAOGA WASIOHOJI, yale yale ya CUF NA NCCR @yericko_nyerere@jjmnyika
— Think Different (@lifeofmshaba) November 22, 2013
What the papers’ say:
The Citizen: Zitto’s ouster: What’s next for besieged Kigoma North MP?
Mwananchi: Mtikisiko Chadema: Zitto awekwa benchi, Arfi ang’atuka, lawama zatanda
Mwananchi article is the longest and the best on the background:
“Kwa zaidi ya wiki mbili Zitto amekuwa akilumbana na Mbunge wa Arusha Mjini, Godbless Lema kuhusiana na masuala ya posho. Vita hiyo ilianzishwa na Lema katika kikao cha wabunge wiki iliyopita aliposema kuwa Zitto anafanya unafiki kukataa posho.”
“Pia, Zitto aliingia katika malumbano na chama chake baada ya kutuhumu vyama vya siasa kuwa hesabu zake hazikaguliwi na Mkaguzi na Mdhibiti wa Hesabu za Serikali (CAG), huku akitaka ruzuku kwenye vyama hivyo isimamishwe. Chadema ilipinga vikali madai hayo na kueleza kuwa imekuwa inatumia taasisi binafsi kufanya kazi hiyo. Vyama vinavyopata ruzuku ya Serikali ni vile vyenye wabunge Chadema, CCM, UDP, TLP, CUF na NCCR-Mageuzi.”
The Guardian: Zitto, Dr Mkumbo and Mwigamba stripped of Chadema posts
Nipashe: Zitto ang’olewa, Kitila, Mwigamba nao nje
Daily News: Zitto Kabwe, 3 others stripped of duties
HabariLeo: Chadema vipande, Zitto pembeni
Tanzania Daima: Zitto ang’olewa CHADEMA
TzDaima has the most detail on Mbowe’s position, unsurprisingly:
“Akizungumza na waandishi ofisi za chama hicho makao makuu, Mwenyekiti wa Chama hicho, Freeman Mbowe, alisema: “Chama ninachokiongoza ni cha watu, kinategemea maamuzi ya kikao, katiba, kanuni, maelekezo ya mabaraza ya chama, miongozo ya shughuli za wabunge na viongozi wengine wenye nyadhifa katika chama. Mbowe aliongeza kuwa Kamati Kuu ya chama hicho ni chombo cha kusimamia maadili ya chama, hivyo chama hakitakubali mtu yeyote, kwa sababu yake binafsi au ya kutumiwa kukiharibu chama.”
“Mbowe alitoa rai kwa Watanzania kuwa waendelee kukiamini chama na chama kitakuwa imara, salama na hakuna kikundi au mtu ambaye ni muhimu kuliko chama, kwani chama hicho kina michango ya watu wengi ya hali na mali, na wengine wamepigwa, kupoteza maisha au kusingiziwa kesi kwa sababu ya chama.”
Mtanzania / RAI: Chadema yapasuka
“Wakati mkutano wa Kamati Kuu ukimalizika usiku wa kuamkia jana, kuna taarifa kuwa ndani ya mkutano kulikuwa na mvutano mkubwa. Taarifa zinasema wabunge wanne wa chama hicho (majina tunayo), wanajiandaa kuitisha mkutano na waandishi wa habari kupinga uamuzi wa Kamati Kuu kuwavua madaraka Zitto na Dk.Mkumbo. Taarifa zinasema wabunge hao, hawakubaliani na uamuzi uliochukuliwa na wanataka ubatilishwe haraka. Chanzo hicho kinasema katika kikao hicho kati ya wajumbe 36, ni wajumbe 15 tu walipiga kura kuunga kubariki uamuzi wa kuwasimamisha Zitto na Mkumbo.”
Front pages, via millardayo.com:
Other commentary:
“leo imeandikiwa ‘ Zitto Ka-Chola’ na tusubiri basi kusoma kama itaandikwa; ‘ Zitto- Ka-Bwela’! Ingawa swali litabaki; Zitto Ka-bwe-laje?”
Pernille Baerendtsen (Dunia Duara), on Facebook: ”a caravan of lizards and crocodiles”
Zitto announces a press conference on Sunday:
Mkutano na waandishi wa habari: Mhe Zitto Kabwe na Dk Kitila Mkumbo http://t.co/Wwsx95Fftv
— Zitto Zuberi Kabwe (@zittokabwe) November 23, 2013
Posted by Onesmo Mpulila on the Facebook page of Wilbroad Slaa:
“BARUA YA WAZI KWAKO DR SLAA: Watanzania tulio wengi tulikuwa tumeanza kuwaamini na kuona CHADEMA Ndio chama makini ambacho kingekuwa mkombozi wa kutusaidia kututoa ktk umasikini, ufisadi, wizi wa fedha za umma zilizofichwa nje, uonevu, dhuluma, na hata kutuletea utawala bora tofauti na tulionao ktk kipindi hiki serikalini. Masikitiko ya wengi kutokana na yaliyojiri kwenye mkutano mkuu wa CHADEMA jana Nahisi mnaweza kuwa mumepunguza imani ya wananchi juu ya chama chetu na kwa uongozi mzima wa ngazi ya juu wa CHADEMA kwa gharama ya mikono Yenu wenyewe hasa katika kipindi hiki tunapokaribia uchaguzi mkuu wa 2015.”
Finally, from Zitto himself, his first tweet since the news broke:
Liverpool v Everton soon and we must win this game. We never walk alone #LFC
— Zitto Zuberi Kabwe (@zittokabwe) November 23, 2013
Newspapers
The most interesting pieces in the papers today are editorials / comment. I’ve listed all the articles I found, and quoted from the most interesting.
Mwananchi: Mama Zitto atoa yake ya moyoni, Mtei: Tutaendelea kuwafukuza wasaliti and Kung’olewa kwa Zitto, Mkumbo: Chadema mikoani watofautiana
The Citizen: Chadema’s leadership woes: Zitto to spill the beans today
The Guardian: (Editorial) Developments within Chadema worrisome
Nipashe: Zitto Kabwe, Kitila: Tutajibu mapigo leo
These two papers also have cartoons:
The Guardian’s Editorial comes out strongly in support of Zitto:
“There may be people who may have popped champagne bottles over what appears to be the beginning of the party’s imminent fall from grace. … People now wonder: If these guys squabble in public over such small issues, what would happen if we gave them the mandate to rule this country? We need to see maturity from the opposition in the name of democracy, if we can spell out that in our political life.”
“The future of this country depends on a strong opposition capable of making the ruling party and its government “sit up” as Mwalimu Julius Nyerere once said. As things stand now, the ruling party could well celebrate over champagne – and the government a well deserved sleep. With the current developments, Chadema doesn’t need external enemies.”
“We hope that the next person to resign will be Mbowe himself unless he thinks Chadema is his personal property!”
Daily News: Zitto to spill Chadema beans on Sunday and Let Chadema stay put for the sake of democracy
HabariLeo: Kilichowaponza Zitto, wenzake and Mtei amsikitikia Zitto
“What is happening in the leading opposition party? For there is no question that Chadema is (was?) perhaps the second most popular party in the country.”
“It is no secret that Zitto has had several brushes with the powers that be in Chadema. Zitto is an ambitious politician and has openly expressed his desire to lead the party but has been sidelined, browbeaten if you like, by the ‘founders’ – could this be the reason behind the recent move by the party, veiled in the allegation of ethical misconduct?”
“I sincerely hope that it is not yet another strong opposition party disintegrating that will not bode well with the democratic development in the country. We certainly need a strong opposition to keep pricking the government of the day into action for the development of the nation. I would bet even CCM would not like to see its strongest challenger slipping away.”
Tanzania Daima: Kishindo CHADEMA and Wahaini CCM, CHADEMA wanafanana (Ansbert Ngurumo)
TzDaima’s stance seems pretty clear from the first of these headlines – staying loyal to the party leadership. The content of Ngurumo’s article also sticks firmly to the party line:
“Kinachotokea sasa ni kwamba wapo wanaoshangilia na wanaohuzunika kwa uamuzi wa Kamati Kuu. Baadhi ya wananchi au hata wanachama wa CHADEMA hawajui fika kilichotokea. Wengine wanajua kinachoendelea, lakini nao ni sehemu ya hicho kilichoibuliwa. Wanachofanya ni kujaribu kutetea “watu wao”. Wapo wengine ambao ni wana CCM ambao wanasikitika kwamba mbinu yao imebainika. Wana hasira na CHADEMA, na wanataka kutumia fursa hii kuchora picha hasi ya CHADEMA.”
“Haya yanayoendelea, yalitarajiwa. Naamini CHADEMA itachukua hatua mwafaka kuhakikisha hali inaendelea kuwa shwari, licha ya mtikisiko kidogo unaoweza kutokana na uamuzi wa Kamati Kuu. La msingi ni kwamba uamuzi wa Kamati Kuu ya CHADEMA umeacha mafunzo kadhaa. Kwanza, CHADEMA imeonyesha na kusisitiza kwamba hakuna mwanachama au kiongozi aliye juu ya chama. Hakuna aliye maarufu kuliko chama. Pili, CHADEMA imeonyesha kuwa inaweza kubaini yaliyofichika yanayoweza kuidhuru au kuiendeleza. Tatu, imeonyesha kuwa inaweza kuchukua hatua ngumu, hata kama itagharimu baadhi ya wafuasi.”
“Najua kuwa wapo wananchi wasioelewa vema kinachoendelea ndani ya CHADEMA. Wanadhani hatua hii inaweza kuleta mtafaruku na kudhoofisha chama kama ilivyokuwa kwa NCCR-Mageuzi na TLP. Ni hofu ya bure.”
Mtanzania / RAI: Ni mwisho wa Zitto Kabwe?, Demokrasia ya kweli inahitajika Chadema and Waraka uliomng’oa Zitto huu hapa
From the second of these:
“Imani yetu ni kwamba hakukuwa na haja ya kuchukua maamuzi hayo ya haraka, jambo linaloonesha kwamba pengine Kamati Kuu ya chama hicho haikutafakari kwa kina athari za maamuzi hayo.”
“Endapo maamuzi hayo yangezingatia busara na demokrasia, pengine leo tungekuwa tunazungumzia suala la ukomavu wa kisiasa ndani ya Chadema, lakini kwa namna ilivyo, ni wazi sasa baadhi ya watu watakuwa na dhana kwamba maamuzi hayo yalitolewa kwa shinikizo la jazba ama utashi wa baadhi ya watu.”
“Rai yetu kwa viongozi wa Chadema ni kuhakikisha wanatumia busara na kuikaribisha demokrasia ya kweli katika maamuzi yake, vinginevyo watakuwa wanashiriki kukimaliza chama, ambacho kimekuwa tumaini jipya la wapenda maendeleo.”
And from the first:
“Mjumbe wa Kamati Kuu ya Chadema, Profesa Mwesigwa Baregu, amesema uamuzi wa kumvua vyeo ndani ya chama Zitto Kabwe una athari kwa pande zote mbili. Kwamba utamuathiri Zitto kisiasa kwa upande mmoja na chama kwa upande mwingine, ambako jamii itaona ndani ya Chadema kuna kundi limeamua kumuonea mwanasiasa huyo.”
“Alisema akiwa kama mtaalamu wa mambo ya siasa, athari hizo kwa sasa bado ni ndogo kwa sababu uamuzi wa Kamati Kuu upo kwenye mchakato wa kufikishwa katika Baraza Kuu la chama, hivyo lolote linaweza kutokea kwenye uamuzi.”
“’Ninachokiona katika sakata hili ni kwamba wafuasi wa Chadema ni bora wakawa watulivu na kusubiri maamuzi ya Baraza Kuu, kwa sababu mchakato ndiko unakoelekea huko,’ alisema Profesa Baregu.”
Front pages: via millardayo.com
Zitto and his backers held a press conference on Sunday morning
Zitto published his statement online, and these video highlights. Some extracts:
“Ninatambua kwamba chama changu kinapita katika wakati mgumu sana sasa hivi. Nataka nitamke mapema sana kwamba mimi Zitto Zuberi Kabwe sitokuwa chanzo cha CHADEMA kuvunjika. Hiki ndicho chama kilichonilea na kunifikisha hivi nilivyo. Ningependa chama hiki mtoto wangu atakapokuwa mtu mzima na atakapoamua kujiunga na siasa aingie CHADEMA. Bado nina imani kubwa na chama changu na ninaamini ndicho kinachostahili kuendesha nchi jana, leo na kesho.”
“Tuhuma kwamba nimekidhalilisha chama kwa tamko la PAC kwamba Hesabu za Vyama hazijakaguliwa na Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Hesabu za Serikali (CAG): Katika jambo hili ninatuhumiwa kwamba mimi kama Naibu Katibu nilipaswa kuwasiliana kwanza na viongozi wa chama ‘kuwatonya’ ili wajiandae. Kwamba kutokuwatonya kumekidhalilisha chama na kukiweka kundi moja na CCM na nastahili kuadhibiwa vikali kwa kuwa katika taarifa yangu nilikuwa na nia mbaya na chama chetu. Maelezo yangu niliyoyatoa na ambayo ningependa kuyakariri hapa kuhusu jambo hili ni kama ifuatavyo:
- Utawala bora hautaki mimi kutumia nafasi yangu ya uenyekiti wa PAC kulinda chama changu na kuonea vyama vingine. Kufanya hivyo ni kuendeleza tabia zile zile ambazo tunazipinga na ambazo tunapigania kuzibadilisha
- Napenda kusisitiza kwamba hakuna chama ambacho kimewahi kukaguliwa na Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Serikali (CAG). Natambua kwamba mahesabu ya chama changu yamekuwa yakikaguliwa na wakaguzi wa nje kwa utaratibu tuliojiwekea. Lakini matakwa ya kisheria ni kwamba mahesabu ya vyama vya siasa hayajakaguliwa na CAG, na hili ni kosa la kisheria, bila kujali kosa hili ni la nani.”
“Ninatambua kwamba kuna watu walitegemea leo ningejibu mapigo na ningewazodoa watu kwa majina kama ilivyo kawaida katika siasa za Tanzania. Natambua pia kwamba, kama ilivyo kawaida wakati wa migogoro katika vyama vya siasa hapa Tanzania, kuna watu walitegemea leo ningetangaza ‘maamuzi magumu’. Natambua kwamba wapo ambao wangependa kupata nafasi ya kuendelea kutumia suala hili katika harakati zao za kudhoofisha mapambano ya demokrasia na uthabiti wa siasa za ushindani nchini mwetu. Napenda wanachama wa CHADEMA na wapenda demokrasia na siasa safi wote nchini watambue kwamba mimi bado ni mwanachama mwaminifu wa chama hiki na nitakuwa wa mwisho kutoka kwenye chama hiki kwa hiari yangu. Nitafuata taratibu zote ndani ya chama katika kuhitimisha jambo hili.”
“Naomba wanachama waelewe kwamba mimi kama binadamu ninaumia ninapopigwa. Tuhuma ninazorushiwa ni kubwa na zinanikwaza. Tuache siasa za uzushi ili tujenge chama chetu na nchi yetu, ili hatimaye tuwakomboe Watanzania wenye matarajio na imani kubwa kwa chama chetu.”
“Kama mwanasiasa kijana niliyekaa katika siasa kwa muda sasa yapo mengi mazuri nimeyafanya. Lakini kuna maeneo nilipojikwaa na yapo makosa niliyofanya kisiasa katika maisha yangu ya siasa.”
“Kinachoendelea ndani ya chama chetu ni mapambano ya kukuza demokrasia. Ni mapambano baina ya wapenda demokrasia dhidi ya wahafidhina, waumini wa uwajibikaji dhidi ya wabadhirifu na wapenda siasa safi dhidi ya watukuzao siasa majitaka. Hii ni changamoto kubwa ndani ya chama chetu inayohitaji uongozi shupavu kuikabili. Nitasimama daima upande wa demokrasia. Kama alivyopata kunena mmoja ya wanasiasa maarufu, ‘kiwango cha juu kabisa cha uzalendo katika nchi ni kukubali kutofautiana kimawazo’, na ninatamani huu ndio uwe utamaduni wa chama chetu.”
The press conference generated a huge amount of coverage on Twitter, including the following highlights:
“@MakutanoShow: “Huo unaoitwa ‘uhaini’ ni wasiwasi wa ushindani wa kisiasa ndani ya chama” – Kitila”~> as we all thought. Mbowe exposed
— Semkae Kilönzö (@Semkae) November 24, 2013
Utawala bora hautaki mimikutuia nafasi yangu ya uenyekiti wa PAC kulinda chama changu nakuonea vyamavingine… Zitto @JMakamba @JamiiForums
— Assah Mwambene (@isongole) November 24, 2013
@zittokabwe – mjadala wa kamati kuu asilimia kubwa ilijadili ukaguzi wa fedha za vyama na kwa nini aliaibisha chama .. very interesting. ..
— Maria Sarungi Tsehai (@MariaSTsehai) November 24, 2013
@zittokabwe “nikipewa nafasi ya kuchagua chama changu na nchi yangu, nitachagua nchi yangu,” zitto at his press conference today @isongole
— Absalom Kibanda (@absakibanda) November 24, 2013
WanaCCM tutaacha kunyanyapaliwa sasa…. it’s not such a bad party after all….
— Semkae Kilönzö (@Semkae) November 24, 2013
CHADEMA have made a strategic political mistake. Time will prove me right.
— Abdullah Mwinyi (@Dullahmwinyi1) November 24, 2013
SWOT analysis imegundua kuwasiliana kwenye social media inaingia kwenye Weakness. It’s not right.
— Given (@GIVENALITY) November 24, 2013
Chadema also published a number of official statements, etc. online, grouped together here by Subi Nukta of wavuti.com, including (i) the full text of their press statement announcing Zitto’s sacking, (ii) the resignation letter of party deputy chairman Said Arfi, and (iii) the full text of the document put together by Zitto’s allies, which the party committee decided was sufficient evidence of Zitto’s treachery. (There seems now to be no doubt that this document is genuine – it has not been denied by Zitto or his allies, and they have even referred to it themselves.)
And finally, a tweet disgraced and deceased former Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, from beyond the grave (!):
Yanayojiri CHADEMA na matukio mengine nchini yamepangwa na Intelijensia maalum ya Taifa ambayo hata CCM hawajui inavyofanya kazi.
— Daudi Balali (@daudibalali) November 24, 2013
Filed under: media, politics, Tanzania
