Zanzibar Attorney General Othman Masoud Othman yesterday had a difficult time in the Constituent Assembly (CA) yersterday for openly voting ‘NO’ on several clauses of the final draft of the proposed Constitution.
He voted ‘NO’ on three chapters of the proposed Constitution: Chapter 7 and 11 which was new as well as 16.
His action prompted Zanzibar CA members to openly use abusive language on him and forced him to leave the CA premises under tight security to ensure his safety.
Chapter 7 is about The Structure of the Union while Chapter 11 is on The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, The Revolutionary Council of Zanzibar and The House of Representatives. On the other hand, Chapter 16 is on Conditions on Monies of the United Republic.
Apart from voting ‘NO’ to all the Articles found in the three Chapters, Othman also voted NO to Article 2, 9, 86, 128, 129 and an addendum below Article 70 of the final draft of the proposed Constitution.
Basically, Othman rejected Articles related to contentious matters of the Union.
Immediately after he finished voting, some CA members from Zanzibar created mayhem in the August House. They called him all sorts of names, saying he is a traitor and not fit to be one of the Isles’ leaders.
The resentment towards him among CA members from Zanzibar was ignited in the early stages of writing the final draft of the proposed constitution.
Apparently Othman had resigned from the Drafting Committee to which he was appointed by the CA steering committee and decided to go absent without leave (AWOL).
Since then Othman maintained his stance of declining to openly state the reasons for opting to resign. Instead, he insisted that the reasons for doing so are in his resignation letter.
Speaking after Othman had voted, an emotionally charged Sheikh Yahya Kassim, said the AG was arrogant and did not have Zanzibar’s interests at heart.
He said that was why he resigned from the Drafting Committee and went AWOL.
“As among top leaders appointed by the President, we expected him to be in the Drafting Committee and participate fully. He would have been giving opinions that would be of interest to Zanzibar,” said Sheikh Kassim.
His remarks were vividly backed by CA members, particularly from Zanzibar, with a standing ovation and comments in the background. They called the Attorney General arrogant and unfit to be a leader.
Sheikh Kassim said he was appalled by the behaviour of AG Othman. He said even after betraying the Zanzibar people by resigning from the Drafting Committee, he still had the audacity to return to the CA and vote NO to several Articles of the final Constitution draft.
On what transpired in the House, Hamad Rashid (House of Representatives- Zanzibar) commented that Othman did not make a wise decision to vote the way he did without having consulted his colleagues from Zanzibar.
In his comments, Eng Masauni Yusuphu Masauni (House of Representatives-Zanzibar) said the Attorney General is among top leaders. He also has many followers as well as people who consider him a role model.
Therefore, voting against the proposed constitution could have a bad impact on the society, said Masauni, adding:
“I think once you are a leader with such responsibility, there are some issues that you cannot utter in public the way he did.”
Othman was reported to have stopped attending CA sessions soon after he had resigned from the Drafting Committee. He only returned yesterday to vote on the draft of the proposed Constitution.
Apart from Othman, other CA members who did not cast their votes on the final draft of the proposed constitution were also given a chance to do so yesterday. Afterwards the CA Chairman adjourned the session until today.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of the People’s Constitution (UKAWA) steering committee told a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday that leaders of the Constituent Assembly are busy persuading some Ukawa members from the isles to vote so as to ensure the required two thirds vote is realised.
The alleged top CA members are said to be promising the Ukawa members millions of shillings in case they accept to vote in favour of the CA’s constitution draft.
“It’s two days now since CA leaders including …(names withheld) have been in touch with Chadema members from Zanzibar to vote in favour of the CA’s draft constitution so as to get the required two thirds. This is unacceptable as no member should be forced to vote,” said John Mnyika, Chadema’s Member of Parliament for Ubungo.
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