Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Monday, October 3, 2022.

Could these be the reasons behind Mulamula’s sacking as Tanzania’s FM?

President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday announced a mini-cabinet reshuffle whereby Liberata Mulamula was left out in the new cabinet, opening the floodgate of speculations over what could have been the reason for the seasoned diplomat to fall from grace.

Mulamula, who was heading the Foreign Affairs docket, was replaced by Dr Stergomena Tax. Before Monday’s appointment, Dr Tax was serving as Minister for Defence and National Service, a position that is now led by Innocent Bashungwa.

Ms Angelah Kairuki now serves the Ministry of State in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government that Mr Bashungwa was serving before Monday’s appointment.

While swearing in her newly appointed ministers, President Samia gave no reason why she sacked Mulamula, who was appointed on March 31, 2021, with high hopes of bringing Tanzania back to the international scene after six years of a tarnished image.

Samia did, however, explain what bothers her, something that made many observers of Tanzania’s affairs concludes that those are the reasons that led to Ambassador Mulamula’s dismissal.

The Head of State mentioned disrespecting the constitution, not knowing one’s boundaries and leaking of state secrets as behaviour that her ministers and other administrative staff should take extra efforts to avoid.

“The second thing is boundaries. There is an authority in this country and the power assigned to you [as a minister] has its limits,”  President Samia said. “if you want to go above your [authority], you must receive permission from the higher authority.”

Many considered this as a reference to Mulamula’s recent dinner meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.

“[Former Kenya’s President] Daniel Arap Moi used to say no institution is as jealous as the presidency,” Godbless Lema, a senior opposition figure, said in a Twitter post. 

Speculation swirls over foreign affairs minister sacking. pic.twitter.com/2h7k9BQfc0

— The Chanzo (@TheChanzo) October 3, 2022

Speaker Tulia criticised for directing CCM supporters to ‘deal with’ Samia’s critics

Speaker of Parliament Tulia Ackson on Monday was criticised for her remarks that members of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) should deal with anyone who is criticising President Samia Suluhu Hassan who doubles as the party’s national chairperson.

In a video clip that circulated on social media, Dr Ackson, who doubles as Mbeya Urban MP (CCM), told party members during a meeting that “not only should you deal with the critics of President Samia but also my critics as well as those of a ruling party councillor and village chairperson.”

Though she did not say that, many interpret Ackson’s directives as a call to violence against those who criticise the government and CCM.

One of those people is CHADEMA’s deputy chairperson (Tanzania Mainland) Tundu Lissu who said Dr Ackson’s remarks have all the hallmarks of a call to commit crimes against humanity.

“When crimes against humanity are committed, and a court is convened to hear the case, we know one of those who will stand for trial,” Lissu said in a Twitter post.

Vicensia Shule, a renowned social activist in the country, said in a Twitter post: “Basically, considering her position, [Ackson] has literally declared a war. We should not be surprised by what will happen next.”

Police in Tunduru block ACT-Wazalendo rally, citing ‘terrorist threat’

Police in Tunduru district, in the Ruvuma region, on Monday blocked a scheduled public rally by opposition party ACT-Wazalendo in the district, citing the “threat of terrorism.”

Tunduru’s Officer Commanding Station (OCS) wrote in a letter to ACT-Wazalendo that their request for permission to hold a public rally in the district had to be denied as the district was experiencing a “terrorist threat.”

The rally was to be graced by ACT-Wazalendo secretary-general Ado Shaibu who is on a country tour as part of the party’s strategies to sell itself to the general public.

ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe condemned the decision by Tunduru OCD to cancel the party’s rally, asking if political parties cannot do their activities due to a terrorist threat how come tourists are allowed to visit the region?

“Does it mean that tourists should not go to Selous [Game Reserve]?,” asked Mr Kabwe. “How dare you block a rally by ACT-Wazalendo?”

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declined to lift the ban on political rallies imposed by her predecessor John Magufuli, putting her on a collision course with opposition parties which have slammed the ban as both illegal and unconstitutional.

In an op-ed she did to commemorate Democracy Day, Samia urged Tanzanians to be patient with the ban on political rallies as her task force is finalizing its reports.

The Head of State formed the task force to collect stakeholders’ opinions on ways to improve multiparty democracy in Tanzania.

This is it for today and we hope you enjoyed our briefing. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter (see below) or following us on Twitter (here) or joining us on Telegram (here). And in case you have any questions or comments, please consider dropping a word to our editors at editor@thechanzo.com.