Politics-Tanzania - Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) announced yesterday that it will form a shadow cabinet from its party MPs only. The leader of the opposition camp in parliament and Chadema chairman, Mr Freeman Mbowe, told The Citizen in his office here that the cabinet will be formed next week before the current parliamentary session ends on February 18. The opposition party boasts of a majority representation in parliament, and Mr Mbowe declared yesterday: "We are in the final stages of realignment." Mr Mbowe explained that formation of the shadow cabinet was delayed because of waiting for the formation of parliamentary committees.

He added: "We have agreed with the Speaker (Ms Anne Makinda) that we can now form the shadow cabinet after formation of parliamentary sectoral committees."

Mr Mbowe said inclusion of MPs from other political parties will depend on how the political wounds caused by the parties are healing.

These are: Civic United Front (Cuf), Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), United Democratic Party (UDP) and NCCR-Mageuzi. Said he: "The political wounds caused by other opposition parties in the House will need time to heal."

However, he said Chadema would not hesitate to reshuffle its shadow cabinet and include MPs from other parties if they proved that they were working towards a strong opposition.

"Political parties represented in parliament have played a big role in creating a conducive environment for CCM to pick chairpersons for oversight parliamentary committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Local Authorities Accounts Committee (LAAC)," he said.

However, Mr Mbowe said Chadema will support and work closely with the chairmen of PAC and LAAC, Messrs John Cheyo and Augustino Mrema, respectively.

"I personally respect all elected chairpersons of the new parliamentary committees. I believe they have the capacity to lead them and Chadema will cooperate with them," he declared.

Another oversight committee--the Parastatal Organisations Accounts Committee (POAC) is headed by the Kigoma North Chadema MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe.

On Tuesday Chadema protested an amendments to parliamentary standing orders that obliged the opposition party to form one opposition camp with parties which have thin representation in the House.

The House endorsed the amendments after Chadema MPs had walked out of the House chamber in protest.

He said the way some opposition parties behaved during the electoral process and the last six months after the October 31 General Election gave the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) mandate to play a broker's role.

Lucas Liganga

The Citizen/11/02/2011