Bid to oust Bhanji from key EALA organ flops

Bhanji defends herself before the Assembly yesterday. (John Mbanda)

Suspension of a member of the East African Legislative Assembly from Tanzanian, Shy Rose Bhanji, from the Assembly’s commission was last evening halted due to lack of quorum minutes before members could cast their votes.

The Assembly had shelved the first business on the order paper to debate a motion that sought to review the rules of procedure that had been interrupted in March to prioritise Bhanji’s suspension.

But just as members were readying themselves to vote by way of secret ballot after a three-hour debate, Ugandan MP Susan Nakawuki brought it to the attention of the Speaker that though the members in the Assembly were more than the required three quarters of the Assembly, Tanzania did not have a representation of more than three members as required by the rules of procedure.

The Speaker ruled that the voting be adjourned as Tanzania was not adequately represented.

The motion to suspend Bhanji from the EALA’s commission whose duties include managing the affairs and organising the business and programme of the Assembly, had been moved by MP Dora Byamukama (Uganda) and seconded by Christophe Bazivamo (Rwanda).

If suspended, Tanzania would have to front another member to replace Bhanji on the commission, EALA’s highest organ.

The legislators in favour of the motion insisted that the ‘indiscipline’ case was an issue of public concern and affected the image of the Assembly and EAC citizens.

Byamukama told the House that Bhanji had proved to be incapable of serving on the commission as she had engaged in ‘gross misconduct’ that included derogatory remarks, verbal insults to members, their leaders and their respective countries and causing havoc in a KLM plane from Amsterdam to Nairobi earlier this month.

Byamukama added that some members of the Assembly’s commission had threatened to resign as they were not willing to work alongside the said member.

Members leave the house after failing to vote yesterday. (John Mbanda)

The members who allegedly threatened to resign include Bazivamo, Hafsa Mossi (Burundi), and Abubakar Ogle Abdi (Kenya).

The committee is composed of 12 members, including the Speaker.

The motion, however, faced opposition from some members, led by Tanzanian MP Charles Makongoro Nyerere, who argued that the condemnation of Bhanji was based on what could only be termed as ‘rumours’ as no official documents had been tabled in the Assembly.

“The Assembly’s work should be guided by documentation. By doing otherwise, we will be condemning ourselves and not Bhanji, which will be an injustice,” Nyerere said.

Another Tanzanian MP, Taslima Twaha Issa, said it would be improper to punish the member without giving her a chance for defence, adding that the rules did not provide for the removal of a commissioner.

“EALA has far more important business that should not be moved aside to make way for issues such as unjustly punishing a member,” Issa said.

Bhanji, who was present during the session, dismissed the allegations leveled against her as “blackmail and character assassination.”

“The said trip was about three weeks ago but I have not received anything in writing accusing me of the allegations. I demand written documentation stating the allegations,” she said
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