Grief as tears roll in Parliament

 

IT was all tears as Members of Parliament (MPs) failed to control their feelings, as the Sergeant-at-Arms carried the body of the retired Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Samuel Sitta, to the debating chamber to bid a historic farewell at a special session.

The body of the late Sitta entered the House at exactly 03:00 pm as the mood was engulfed by sorrow as the majority wept uncontrollably and the prayer session was tension rigged as some failed to finish their wish and wept. 

 

It was the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, who was saying the prayer before the body of the late Sitta. This prayer made almost everyone in the National Assembly weep.

It contained touching, emotional words. 

 Dr Mwakyembe said the prayer on behalf of the Evangelical denomination. He ended up weeping himself as he cited the good deeds the late Sitta had done to him personally, his family, the National Assembly and the nation.

Immediately the body of Sitta covered by the national and Parliament flag was kept in the debating chamber and the national anthem was played during the special session.

It was difficult to tell if it was a one party or multiparty assembly, as the parliamentarians all spoke the same language especially referring to the late Sitta as a reformist, catalyst for hope and a symbol of unity.

All the condolence messages were read by House Speaker Job Ndugai, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, Opposition camp leader, Freeman Mbowe, Zitto Kabwe (ACT-Wazalendo), Tundu Lissu (Chadema), Jasson Rweikiza (CCM) - stressed to stand by the legacy left by the retired Speaker.

It was after the condolence messages that the body of the retired speaker was moved out of the debating chamber and kept in a special area where last respects were held to give room for parliamentarians and the public to bid the departed former Speaker farewell.

Thereafter, the premier tabled a motion to postpone the National Assembly to January 31, next year, which was approved by the National Assembly.

The late Sitta succumbed to prostate cancer earlier on Monday in Germany where he was seeking medication. He is expected to be laid to rest today in his birthplace at Urambo in Tabora Region.