Tanzania: It’s Over
FOR the first time in the country’s history, the Speaker of the National Assembly has tendered resignation.
Mr Job Ndugai made the decision to step down yesterday, in an abrupt move that leaves political temperatures over who will be his immediate successor.
He tendered the letter to the Secretary-General of his party–CCM, Daniel Chongolo, saying that it was his own decision and that he made it by considering the vast interests of the country, the government and his party.
“Also, I have submitted the copy of my resignation to the Clerk of the National Assembly for further processes as per the constitution and other laws to get the new Speaker of the House, who will be my predecessor,” read the statement in part.
During a telephone interview yesterday, the House Clerk, Nenelwa Mwihambi said it was true that Mr Ndugai had tendered his resignation.
“Forty minutes ago I got a copy of the letter from Mr Ndugai, which he forwarded to the CCM Secretary-General and copied to me. And, because I only have the
copy, I am waiting for other legal procedures from CCM, but what I can confirm is that the letter is official and valid,” noted the House Clerk.
Speaking at the party’s headquarters in Dodoma yesterday, CCM Secretary-General Daniel Chongolo said he had received the letter from the House Speaker, insisting that he will inform the House Clerk on the party’s processes to have the new processes for getting the new speaker of the House.
“I received the letter from Mr Ndugai this afternoon (yesterday) and because the next session of parliament cannot proceed in absence of the speaker, we will initiate processes within our party to have his successor in the proper legal systems,” noted Mr Chongolo.
Through a press statement sent to different media outlets, Mr Ndugai thanked all Members of Parliament for according him the necessary collaboration and equally commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the entire government, his voters from Kongwa constituency, during the period when he was the House Speaker.
Mr Ndugai is one of the senior MPs serving as the Member of Parliament for the Kongwa constituency since 2000. Mr Ndugai was named as the most active MP in the 9th Tanzanian Parliament getting an opportunity to become the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly from 2010 to 2015.
At that time, the House Speaker was Anne Makinda. However, Mr Ndugai got time to be one of the House Chairpersons during the 9 parliaments under the late Samuel Sitta. This means Mr Ndugai has served at different administrative positions, from a junior to the top position of the law-making body. He was elected as Speaker of the National Assembly on November 17th 2015. His departure to the top seat of the House now creates a new room to have a new Speaker in the country’s history. He will now remain as the backbencher.
Mr Ndugai’s resignation, according to the recent political temperatures was expected because of the recent utterances at a meeting in Dodoma when he challenged the decision by the government to take a 1.3tri/- loan from the International Monetary Fund IMF, saying that by borrowing, the country was risking being auctioned.On Tuesday, President
Samia appeared to have been angered by the utterances from the top leader of the legislature, saying that she did not expect to hear such criticism from the top boss of the law-making body.
By Daily News.
