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Police bless CUF demos
2006-11-11 08:55:15
By Angel Navuri
Police in Dar es Salaam have given a green light to a planned peaceful demonstration organised today by the country’s main opposition Civic United Front (CUF).
In Zanzibar, the police have also allowed a similar march to take place today. Urban West Regional Police Commander, Bakar Khatib Shaaban said yesterday that the police will be deployed to make sure that both the demonstration and the rally at Kibandamaiti grounds in Zanzibar are held peacefully.
In Dar es Salaam, party officials said earlier in the week that they would stage a march to protest against Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume’s recent statements regarding the political situation on the Isles.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Alfred Tibaigana told a press conference yesterday in Dar es Salaam that in principle, his office had allowed the CUF demostration to take place.
Tibaigana said that when informing the police, CUF had proposed that the demostration would start at Magomeni and pass through Msimbazi,Uhuru and Kawawa roads.
However, he said the law-enforces had decided to change route. The march would now start at Manzese and pass through Morogoro, Kawawa and Karume Roads.
The police chief said he had decided to change the route in order to avoid damage or theft of traders’ properties located along the roads.
He added that the police would accompany the marchers so as to ensure that they did not block the traffic or disturb other people.
The centre of the row between the two parties is the formation of a government of national unity which CUF has proposed and which the Zanzibar leader has rejected, saying that it is not part of CCM policy.
The Civic United front says it now banks on President Jakaya Kikwete’s intervention for getting a long lasting solution to the Isles’ political impasse.
The local press recently quoted Karume as saying that no discussion had been going on between his administration and CUF.
In a recent newspaper interview, President Karume said that by rejecting CUF’s proposals on a transitional government and an eventual coalition, it did not mean that he had differed with President Jakaya Kikwete on the Zanzibar question.
Karume has also repeated his rejection on repetition of the general election.
”I have never heard President Kikwete state that the election shall be repeated or that we are going to form a national unity government. I have stated this because I do not have such information,” the Zanzibar President said.
”We held the general election after undertaking grand preparations. After all this, they (CUF), want the election to be repeated.
Where did you ever hear such a statement?...We say that this is only not subject to discussion, but the proposal does not even deserve to be uttered,” Karume said.
CUF has however, called on its supporters to remain calm. A party meeting convened to delve into the political stalemate asked members to refrain from acts of violence.
During the meeting, CUF youth leaders accused Karume of plotting to drive the country into chaos.
The meeting was held at the Jamat-Khan Hall in Stone Town. It was addressed by Ali Hajji Pandu, Nassor Mazrui, and Nassor Khamis.
”We are advocating for peace and political stability, but CCM leaders are doing the contrary,” the CUF leaders said.
”Be patient because there is still a hope that President Kikwete will do something positive to resolve the political stalemate,” a CUF leader was heard as saying.
The opposition party also plans to organise a countrywide peaceful demonstration to condemn what it describes as inflammatory remarks by President Amani Abeid Karume.
”President’s statements are aimed at limiting space for Zanzibaris to elect their government in a free and fair election,” said CUF National Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, in an official statement circulated to media houses yesterday.
”The government wants to deny people their basic rights. CUF is fearful of the President’s statements,” he added.
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