The Civic United Front (CUF) is contemplating to sue the government, claiming that state-owned firms and public institutions used tax payers’ money to express support for CCM’s recently elected presidential candidates. Was the government’s move fair?


NO. I think it was quite unfair for the government to use tax payers’ money to express support for CCM’s presidential candidates. The move creates an unfair playing ground as the opposition camp was not accorded such an opportunity. The best the government could have done would be to use the ruling party’s funds to show such an expression. What is required is for the government to create a level play ground so that the parties, both the ruling and opposition, can compete fairly.
Elisifa James – Engineer.

YES. I think that if at all the government used public funds to express its support for the ruling CCM party, then CCM must have paid for the air time. What raises controversy here is the fact that the CUF leadership approached TVT for live coverage of its general congress but TVT could not cover it because it was close to the Union Day celebrations. But it is confirmed that CCM paid for all live coverage of its congress that was held in Dodoma by the state organs.
Mussa Mwanga – Teacher.

YES. I can say that the government did not use any tax payers’ funds to express support because all the coverage accorded by the government media was paid for. CCM paid for all the costs of broadcasting live its extra ordinary conference held in Dodoma. What I see is just that the parties that complained are not able to raise more funds to pay for air time and this is because CCM has been in existence for decades hence it has taken roots.
Judith Mwanangwa - Businesswoman.

NO. In my view, the government was unfair for showing support for the ruling party as the celebrations were too highly structured to portray a bad impression to the opposition and other people. It is difficult for anyone to believe that the funds used were those belonging to the ruling CCM party. As a running party, I believe that CCM can easily access tax payers’ money so it is almost obvious that taxpayers’ money was used. It is an offence to use tax payers’ money as some Tanzanians do not belong to the party.
Temaeli Shunu – Manager.
 

Compiled by Timothy Kitundu.