Draft Constitution: Will CcM get away with murder?

          Looking at the look of things, it is obvious. Chama cha Maulaji (CcM) is wantonly hell-bent to superimpose its will on Tanzanians. Refer to the recent sideshows whereby CcM was able to “pass” the so-called new constitution that’s nothing new but only old stuff. How can the said document be referred to as the constitution of the people whereas the same people were sidelined, and their views being snubbed?  Who are these people in the first place? Do people mean a gang of self-seekers who doctored the document to foster and protect their hidden interests? When they started voting to pass the thing we’re told that CcM fell shy of required votes. All of the sudden, manoeuvers were employed and the said numbers balanced after the fate of the constitution hanged in balance.

          Elations, self-flattery and whatnot were evidence as the dying horse managed to legalize its hocus-pocus. Caught between a rock and a hard place, CcM applied every trick in the book to see to it that its project succeeds even if it meant rigging aka chakachua. Will CcM get away with murder?  Will Tanzanians swallow this bitter pills aimed at allowing a kit and caboodle of swindlers to fleece them wantonly?

          Now we’re told that the thing is waiting for presidential assent, which it will surely get, ready to be rolled over to the voters. Will the voters offer their consent to the thing they know is the product of deceit and self-preservation for people grappling with allegations of corruption? Will hoi polloi stay side and look as we witnessed them during the haggling of passing the doctored document while, in the end, they are the ones to get a raw deal? Will they rebel and say enough is enough this time around? Verily, time will tell.

          For those who bothered to follow what was going in Dodoma under Bunge Maalum la Kuula (BMK), will agree with us that everything was but a sham. After Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi (UKAWA) staged a good fight, CcM had all signs of losing the battle had it not for the eleventh hour that allowed them to doctor and pass the document.

          It is on record that 25% of the original document was either/or tampered with. Andrew Chenge, the chair of fake committee that was tasked with writing the draft was quoted as saying that they better 25% of the document. Ironically, Chenge didn't show the weakness of the document something that’d warrant the betterment of the same. Did they better it or batter it? The major questions are: Why was it doctored whereas some articles were removed or changed? Who authorized such a crime? Who empowered self-style BMK that lost legality after UKAWA boycotted the proceedings?

          Although CcM may go on with this pipedream believing that the battle has been won, my foot, the battle is yet to commence.  We heard some bigwigs championed by Judge Joseph Warioba and UKAWA vowing to continue with the fight to see to it that the thing doesn't go anywhere. Again, looking at how the thing was arrogantly passed, we’d urge them not to allow people to participate in the process they know won’t be free and fair. The same “tricks of the jungle” that were employed in this monkey business in Dodoma will be deployed to see to it CcM gets off the hook. This being the case, what should wananchi do? Simple, boycott the potpourri of deceits and scam so that those plotting to hoodwink them get the lesson that they’re not the boobs they think they’re.

          In sum, if CcM thinks it can get away with murder, it’d think again. Given that our people wanted a new constitution, they’d get it but not this gobbledygook known as new constitution without anything new but dupery, trickery and jiggery-pockery. Again, will CcM get away with murder? Will wananchi allow it to hoodwink them once more? Time will tell surely.

Source: Business Times Oct., 17, 2014.