TANZANIA: Citizens abroad for Katiba views

Written by PIUS RUGONZIBWA.

AFTER gathering views throughout the country, the Constitutional Review Commission is now set to visit Tanzanians in the Diaspora to collect their views on the the new constitution.

CRC Vice-Chairman Judge (retired) Augustino Ramadhani told the ‘Daily News’ that the commission is currently working on modalities to implement the plan.

“We are considering visiting some countries to collect views from Tanzanians living there, but we will not be able to visit all countries where our citizens live.

“We will select countries with huge populations of Tanzanians for the exercise,” he said. Judge Ramadhani said that at the moment the commission is compiling views collected throughout the country last year which would be meticulously scrutinised.

The commission has thus far gathered samples of constitutions from other countries as points of reference, including from neighbouring countries like Kenya whose constitution was used to guide the just ended elections.

On the views, Judge Ramadhan said the commission will eventually select best ones and references suitable to Tanzania and will explain in writing why such views have been picked and others dropped.

“We will be very detailed and will document every point. We won’t be able to pick all the views but we will explain why we have picked some and why we have dropped others,” he noted. Commenting on complaints by some political parties on the ongoing process to form District Constitutional Assemblies from village to ward levels, Judge Ramadhani said the process is free for every one to participate.

Basically, he said, people regardless of their political affiliations have been invited to apply for taking part in the assemblies, therefore it was not expected they will be formed basing on their party membership. The process to form assemblies has been clearly explained, he maintained, adding that it is wrong to suggest the assemblies would be dominated by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

Alternatively, he said, parties fearing such a scenario can mobilize its members to apply for joining the assemblies, basing on qualifications and criteria needed. He was responding to complaints raised by the Shadow Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Mr Tundu Lissu who told the ‘Daily News’ last Sunday that his party was not happy with procedures in formation of the assemblies since they were likely to be dominated by CCM members.

Mr Lissu went as far as to hint that his party will not be ready to let the process proceed since it is not fair and transparent. According to the given procedures, chairpersons of the constitutional assemblies at the ward level is the Ward Councillor who also chairs the Ward Development Committees and CHADEMA is worried they can influence views in favour of CCM.

“We will not be ready to have the new constitution coming through such arrangements at all. We will hold public rallies to campaign against the formation of these assemblies,” he said.

Commenting on the matter, the Chairman of the Constitution Forum (Jukwaa la Katiba), Mr Deus Kibamba, said they intend to officially write to CRC on the problem seeking for the inclusion of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the formation of the assemblies. He said they have asked the commission to allow CSOs to help monitor and ensure that formation of the councils is free, fair and transparent and are not formed on political basis.

Source: Daily News (12/03/2013): http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/15425-citizens-abroad-for-katiba-views