NCCR lawmaker given two weeks to appeal

 

 Kigoma-south MP David Kafulila
 
NCCR-Mageuzi secretary-general Samwel Ruhuza said yesterday Kigoma-south MP David Kafulila, who was expelled from the party on Saturday, has been given two weeks to appeal against the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) decision.

The outspoken parliamentarian was expelled during the opposition party’s powerful NEC meeting over misconduct and masterminding a plot to oust NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman, James Mbatia.

The opposition party’s NEC meeting nullified Kafulila’s membership, deepening further the existing rift within the party.

“Kafulila has been given 14 days to forward his appeal to the Central Committee of the party against the decision reached by NEC during its Saturday’s meeting,” Ruhuza told a press conference yesterday in Dar es Salaam.

He said other six members of the party were also expelled from the party along with Kafulila over similar claims and 19 others were given a warning.

In a closed door meeting held on Saturday in Dar es Salaam, NCCR-Mageuzi chairman James Mbatia survived a vote of no-confidence engineered by a faction within the opposition party.

The NEC of the opposition party voted overwhelmingly in support of the politician, who retains his top position.

The ‘no confidence motion’ that had threatened Mbatia’s 10-year reign, as chairmanship of one of the pioneer opposition parties was defeated by a 40 to 8 vote margin in a tense electoral session.

Members of the rival factions traded insults, each side accusing the other of hiring elements branded as mercenaries, to cause chaos.

The split in NCCR’s ranks revolves around Mbatia’s leadership, one side defending his record and touting him, as someone who has the potential to steer it into a formidable political force and another that perceives him, as a failure, who have driven it to near collapse.

Anti-Mbatia delegates lead by Hashim Rungwe stormed out of the meeting, claiming that justice had not been done. Police had a hard time calming frayed nerves, as the rivals traded insults.