EAST AFRICA/TANZANIA: It's an All-Women Affair As CCM Lock Out Sitta

Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) yesterday picked three women to contest for the position of the Speaker of the National Assembly dropping names of Samuel Sitta and Andrew Chenge who were seen as top contenders.

Announcing the decision made by the ruling party Central Committee, CCM secretary general, Mr Yusuf Makamba, said those who have been proposed include the former deputy speaker, Ms Anna Makinda, former minister and Regional Commissioner, Ms Anna Abdallah and the member of the east African Legislative Assembly, Ms Kate Kamba.

Mr Makamba told reporters that CCM has opted for the three candidates as a way of giving women opportunity in the top leadership posts.

"Every Tanzanian know that as a country we have been encouraging women at top posts. In CCM we have decided to show it by deeds," he said.

The three names will now be presented t the CCM MPs who would pick one name as party representative in the race. The parliament is set to elect a new Speaker tomorrow.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Sitta and Mr Chenge, yesterday met face to face and hugged in public.

Last Sunday, Mr Chenge, who has been re-elected the Bariadi West MP, launched a scathing attack on Mr Sitta, accusing him of failure to lead the National Assembly.

But when the two met here yesterday, they greeted one another with joy and even hugged before journalists and other people, including members of the ruling party's Central Committee.

This happened as people were kept waiting by the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Central Committee (CC), which met to pick three names of its members to be presented for the party MPs' consideration of the candidate for the Speaker's position.

Mr Chenge was the first to arrive at the CCM headquarters where the meeting was being held. He was engaged in talks with another candidate vying for the post, Ms Anna Makinda, when he spotted Mr Sitta and called him.

Mr Sitta did not hesitate. He then approached Mr Chenge and hugged him.

"These are common issues... journalists are eagerly watching us thinking that something sinister might happen. Within CCM these are common things," said a smiling Mr Sitta.

When the meeting was called to order, the CCM national chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete, allowed it to continue with its business as it had a quorum.

He named those absent as former President Benjamin Mkapa, Dr Salmin Amour and the Zanzibar Chief Minister. The post has, however, been abolished.

Mr Kikwete told the meeting that the post of Zanzibar Chief Minister has been abolished and though the CCM constitution does not say so, the post should be taken by the Zanzibar Second Vice President.

Shortly before the meeting started, contenders for the post were ordered to leave the room as their names were being scrutinised.

After going out of the room Mr Sitta left other candidates sitting together, but went to sit by himself. However, it could not established immediately why he had decided to leave his colleagues.

A total of 13 CCM members have shown interest to vie for the Speaker's post. They include the incumbent Speaker, Mr Sitta, Mr Chenge, deputy Speaker Anna Makinda, a former MP and long serving politician, Ms Anna Abdallah and Kongwa MP-elect, Mr Job Ndugai.

Others are Messrs Steven Deya who was dropped in CCM preferential polls for Nyamagana constituency, Salim Kungulilo, a teacher with Tambaza Secondary School in Dar es Salaam, Benedict Lukwembe who contested for Temeke constituency, a retired army officer, Kazimbaya Makwega, Alex Mponda, Peter Nyalal and Ms Kate Kamba, an MP for the East African Legislative Assembly.

Meanwhile, CCM has extended the duration for collecting forms for candidates wishing to contest for the post of deputy speaker.

Yesterday the party did not give reasons for extending the duration as its Central Committee met to scrutinize and nominate names of candidates who will vie for the post of the speaker.

Until yesterday a number of CCM members had collected forms to contest for the post of deputy speaker, including the Peramiho MP-elect, Ms Jenista Mhagama.

The CCM National Executive Committee secretariat, under the chair of (rtd) Lt Yusuf Makamba, who is the party's secretary general, met on Tuesday to review names of people wishing to vie for the deputy speaker's post before it announced the extension yesterday.

A statement by the CCM publicity and ideology department said the date of collecting forms has been extended to November 13 from November 8.

The statement said the forms were available at CCM MPs office situated at Parliament building in Dodoma.

It said names of candidates to be nominated by their parties will be submitted to the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly on November 15.

According to a CCM programme, its MPs were yesterday supposed to approve one member who will compete with candidates from other parties wishing to become the Speaker of the National Assembly.