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CUF: Karume remarks could undermine muafaka initiative
2008-05-22 10:32:43
By Thobias Mwanakatwe, PST, Mbeya
The Civic United Front (CUF) has warned Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume against discouraging Union President Jakaya Kikwete in his efforts to find a lasting solution to the current political impasse in the Isles.
Talking to PST on Tuesday, CUF Mbeya regional chairperson Amina Ahmed said the remarks made by President Karume recently were arrogant and sounded dictatorial, a situation which was bound to activate turmoil in the Isles if Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) President Kikwete took them at their face value.
``Karume and President Kikwete have shown differences in their approach to reaching a political accord in Zanzibar.
Kikwete aims for a constructive solution but Karume does not seem to have national interest at heart, which could further weaken the delicate situation in Zanzibar,`` she said.
She said Karume had to recognize that every leader was installed by the people, hence dictatorial remarks caused a dent in the voters` confidence in CCM`s leaders who had all along displayed reluctance in solving the political disharmony in Zanzibar.
``His assertion that CUF should recognize him as being president of the Isles smacks of dictatorship as we understand that our leaders are in power to preside over the people`s interests, hence we are surprised to learn that Karume treats Zanzibar as his fiefdom,`` said the chairperson.
She told Karume to take a glance back at how he made his way into power during CCM`s process of selecting its candidate for the presidency in the Isles.
``Karume got only nine votes in his favour while his rival, Gharid Bilal, scored 44. CCM was only polite to award him the candidacy though he did not win the preferential votes,`` said Ahmed.
Underscoring her remarks, she said CUF would never recognize Karume as president of Zanzibar as they knew that he ascended to power as an award given to him on a golden platter through some sympathy known only to members of the ruling party.
``While the public wants to forget the past, it is queer that Karume throws spanners in President Kikwete`s path which aims at finding a lasting solution to the Zanzibar political stand-off.
President Karume was recently quoted as saying that he could not appoint a big number of people from Pemba to various posts in the government as he had only scored 20,000 votes during the presidential elections in 2005.
``People who are complaining of this imbalance are not CCM members in Pemba, but CUF, who only gave me two representatives.
Where do I get the others to supplement them?`` Karume is quoted as saying during a press conference at State House.
He also stressed his determination to put the muafaka to a referendum in the Isles.
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