Mbowe reiterates govt has plot to finish Opposition

http://maisharaisi.blogspot.com/2017/02/mbowe-reiterates-govt-has-plot-to.html

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe has launched a vicious attack on President John Magufuli, saying the Head of State is “keeping on with his plot to wipe out the Opposition” before the 2020 General Election.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Mr Mbowe scoffed at the idea of Tanzania marking Law Day while several opposition leaders were in remand over “trumped-up and politically-motivated charges”.
“As we mark Law Day today (yesterday), Godbless Lema (Arusha Urban MP-Chadema) is marking three months in remand over a case that is politically-motivated and bailable,” said the Chadema chairman, who is also Leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.
“Peter Lijualikali (MP Kilombero-Chadema) is serving a six-month sentence for a political case also; we have six councillors and our regional chairperson in Lindi, also serving prison sentences for political cases,” he said in a speech directed at Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa during the Q&A segment.
The PM refuted Mr Mbowe’s claims that President Magufuli aims to wipe out the Opposition.
On the detention of opposition leaders, Mr Majaliwa said: “The government can’t impose its will on the Judiciary, and we can’t discuss court issues in Parliament. These are separate and independent organs.”
In his follow-up question, Mr Mbowe challenged the PM to be ready to resign if the Opposition tabled, before Parliament, proof that President Magufuli has vowed to eliminate it.
There were boos from opposition side of the House after Deputy Speaker Tulia Ackson attempted, twice, to use Parliamentary Standing Orders to shield the Premier from responding to the Chadema chairman’s accusations. “Mr Mbowe, in his question, touched on court cases; that’s not a policy issue and it is beyond us in here,” Dr Ackson said.
The Chadema leader also bitterly complained against the ban on political rallies saying it was “unconstitutional” and part of an elaborate plot to paralyse the Opposition before the General Election.
He said that a total of 250 Chadema officials were currently facing court cases.
“On the other hand, we are witnessing the government using all its might through its agents, and the office of the Registrar of Political Parties to weaken CUF; this is the policy of the President and his government to annihilate us.”
Meanwhile, the PM told Parliament that the country would not experience shortage of sugar this year since local industries would meet their production targets. According to him, by early January, sugar production at five industries had reached 86 per cent capacity, and these were set to cover the 14 per cent by end of March, when the production season ends.