DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned today that Tanzania's politicians would have to tread carefully and with the welfare of the people constantly in mind if the country was to remain peaceful and united.
Speaking at the Special Meeting of the Political Party Council in Dar es Salaam, President Samia said some politicians find joy in seeing crushes and disputes in the name of freedom of expression.
According to Samia "no one is above the law and no one is greater than Tanzania." She expressed concern over the deteriorating peace in the country just months after the state allowed political rallies.
President Samia's administration allowed political parties to exercise their political right which include organizing political rallies, a clause that was frozen since the last General Election. Addressing the congress which opposition party-Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) 'boycotted', President Samia said Tanzania is for everyone and it's beautiful if it remains as such.
She said the state allowed political rallies as part of helping the latter regain strength ahead of the forthcoming elections. "We allowed this to facilitate political parties to speak to the citizens, talk about their policies, their goals and plans and rebuild themselves in preparations for the 2025 general election and not to cause chaos and break the law by using abusive language."
"All this is happening because people have nothing to say to the citizens. Political rallies were for rebuilding the party and recovering lost members but instead people preferred to stand up and insult others, criticize people's religions, grabbing one thing after the other just so they can destroy the country's stability," she said emphasising no one is above the law and anyone who goes against it will be caught by it
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Regarding the constitution, the President said the existing document needs public awareness before moving to write a new constitution.
"We as politicians think we have the right over others. These people do not know about this document. We think whatever we want and the rest should follow. We believe that development will be brought by the book, it's wrong!," she said. " If it's a book we would have respected the holy books but how many do we go against the holy books," she asked.
The President was of the idea that people need to know the book very well to be able to respect it. "The constitution is not a book but morality and ethical standards," she said.
