Thirdway Alliance leader Dr Ekuru Aukot has reacted to blistering criticism that his Punguza Mizigo initiative is a populist idea.
Writing on Twitter on Tuesday, Dr Aukot appeared to suggest that it was a good thing that his bill was being described as populist.
According to him the word has no negative connotation in so a far as populism is about fighting for the ordinary people against the interests of the establishment elites.
"Some people criticize #PunguzaMizigoBill2019 as a "populist" idea. I couldn't agree no more. Check the definition here..., " his tweet read accompanied by a screenshot of an approving definition of the noun an adjective populist.
He used a definition that described a populist as "a person, especially a politician, who strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups"
The definition of the word as an adjective used by the Thirdway Alliance leader read, "relating to or characteristic of a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups."
In some quarters, populism carries a negative connotation of a pursuit for what appeals to the masses even when it yiels not good.