PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has refuted claims that there are government directives in higher learning institutions to discriminate against students who do not like Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and are members of opposition parties.
He said all Tanzanians were free to join any political party they prefer, but must follow regulations and procedures of areas of working or learning.
"Workers are allowed to join any political party but they are not allowed to conduct politics at the work place, the same goes for students ... they are not allowed to conduct politics during lessons, so they and others can concentrate on their lessons," he explained.
He said: "Differences might emerge between two students from different political parties ... that has nothing to do with the government. I want to urge you political leaders, don't take such difference as government's position, instead we must look at it as we would see difference emerged between two traders from different political parties."
Mr Majaliwa said the government would serve all Tanzanians regardless of their political party affiliations, calling on all Tanzanians to respect regulations and rules of respective places including work place and learning institutions.
Premier Majaliwa was responding to a question from Esther Matiko (Tarime Urban–Chadema), who wanted to know if the government had issued directive to discriminate against higher learning students who are opposed to CCM politics.
She said University of Dodoma was the leading higher learning institution in discriminating against such students, requesting the government to issue directives to the institution’s management against such discrimination. The legislator made the question during a session of impromptu question to the prime minister.