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Some political parties are irrelevant, says Chadema boss
2005-10-08 07:39:11
By Festo Sikagonamo, PST, Mbeya
Some political parties are irrelevant and cannot be trusted to advance the cause of democracy and competitive politics in the country because their officials have either been compromised by the government or exist for the benefit of their leaders only.
The attack on fringe parties was made yesterday by Chadema presidential candidate, Freeman Mbowe, who also took issue with the parties for not forging a common front in the quest to unseat the governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Mbowe, who was on the campaign trail in Mbeya, said some parties had weakened the opposition, which is why the government ignores their pleas for subsidies.
The Chadema boss said that lack of unity among opposition parties had contributed to the absence of a genuinely independent electoral body that can take their grievances seriously.
’Politics in Tanzania has become business and if the government is not careful, the country will soon have more than 100 illegal parties,’ he said.
He noted, ’If their registration had not circumvented the law some of the parties would not be in existence.’
About the use of a helicopter to campaign, he said: ’I am not using the chopper to show off. I want to reach as many Tanzanians as possible, particularly those in the rural areas.’
He said that he had decided to do so because people who live in the rural areas are rarely contacted or consulted about the type of leaders they want and their problems.
’They even deny you the right to challenge them by asking questions them about important national issues,’ Mbowe said.
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