"Stop this debate on the Union"- says Mwinyi

Retired president Ali Hassan Mwinyi has intervened in the ongoing public debate about the status of Zanzibar, saying the debate should stop. The elder statesman told a press briefing yesterday that the status of Zanzibar and a series of questions concerning its ‘sovereignty’ should await consultations of attorneys-general of the Union and Zanzibar governments as advised by Premier Mizengo Pinda.

The former head of state made his remarks on the sidelines of the Southern Africa Development Cooperation (SADC) Electoral Commission Forum and Tenth Annual General Conference and Symposium held at Bwawani Hotel here in Zanzibar yesterday.

“Law and constitution experts are revisiting this issue … I advise that we all wait for them to do their job for us,” Mwinyi cautioned. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has already made its stance clear that the debate should be closed in the best interest of the nation.

Last week, Premier Pinda told Parliament that he no longer wanted to be drawn into the debate, calling on CCM to take up the matter to the end. Mr Mwinyi added that he was looking forward to seeing a restructuring of electoral administration that would promote participation

Ni kwa muda sasa swala la Muungano limekuwa likijitokeza tokeza kwa sura nyingi tu ambazo tofauti zake huwa ni wawakilishi wa hoja na ni wakati gani hoja hizi hutokea na sababu za hoja kama hizo kuingia katika duru la ubishi na hata ushindani wa uelewa wa swala zima la Muungano.

Kwa mizamo huu kila mmoja anaamini kwamba kweli swala la Muungano sasa si jambo la kuliongelea tu kiholela na wala lisiwe likijumuishwa na mambo mengine yeyote ya kisiasa.

Pamoja na wosia si tu wa Mzee wetu Mwinyi bali hata hayati Baba wa Taifa Mwl. Jk Nyerere kuhusu hili swala, lakini bado watu wanukuwa na nafasi wakati mwingine ya kujisahau na kujikuta kusema maneno ambayo yanaweza dhabiti kuwa na nia nzuri lakini linapochanganywa na mambo mengine basi tafsiri yake inaonekana kuwa kuna akina "Shibe mwana malegeza" ambao huonekana kuwa kana wanabeza swala zima hili la Muungano.

Wakati Rais J Kikwete anaingia madarakani aliliongelea hili swala kwa nafasi yake na wakati wake bila ya kuchanganya kitu kingine chochote na mwishowe kukawa na muafaka kati ya wanasiasa wote wa vyama vyenye dukuduku kubwa kuhusu hili swala na ikawa shwari na nina hakika mpaka sasa mambo, pamoja, na yaliyojiri hivi karibuni lakini bado ka sababu swala lilipewa umuhimu na nafasi yake basi bado ipo ile imani na heshima ya swala hili kupewa subira!!

Sasa ni kwa nini panakuwa na chokochoko za kuliongelea swala hili kwa kila mtu na uelewa wake ama wa kisiasa ama kisheria wakati swala zima lilikwisha pewa nafasi yake muhimu na pahala haswa pa kulipeleka swala hili.

Ninaomba tuache maneno ya chokochoko na tusema pale tu inapobidi kusema na wakati pia pahala hapo ni muafaka kwa swala hili la muungano!!

Hakika kwa aliyosema Mheshimiwa Waziri Mkuu hayakuwa ya kuweza kufanya haya yote yajiri kwa hivi sasa, ila tu kwa sababu lilisemwa panapo tungwa sheria na haikuwa agenda kwa kipndi hicho basi ikaleta yote haya na yataendelea tuu mpaka hapo vugu vugu ya joto lake litakapo pungua.