Tanzania: Draft Constitution ready by June

BY GADIOSA LAMTEY

Collection of views from the public and special groups on the proposed constitution is over and the Commission (CRC) is now preparing a draft that will be presented at constitutional councils in every district, countrywide come June of this year.

The CRC Chairman, Judge Joseph Warioba, made the announcement yesterday in Dar es Salaam in his briefing to journalists.

He also announced plans to have the new constitution draft published in the nation’s newspapers to allow for public review ahead of official presentation to constitutional councils countrywide.

The Commission officially started its operations back on May 1, last year that amongst other things entailed public meetings countrywide to hear citizens’ views on the proposed constitution. The operation was concluded in December last year.

“We finished the first part of collecting opinions in December last year,” judge Warioba explained “…and last month we met with institutional stakeholders and other dignitaries who, like wananchi, provided invaluable opinions that will guide the Commission in preparing the Draft that will be tabled before the fora starting June of this year…” 

Judge Warioba, former Prime Minister and Attorney General, reported that in the January meetings alone, the CRC met with 19 political parties, 22 religious institutions, 72 civil society organisations, 71 government institutions and 43 dignitaries from both Mainland Tanzania as well as Zanzibar.

The Commission has also prepared draft guidelines for formation and conduct o the Constitutional fora to be published in mainstream newspapers for public and institutional stakeholders comments.

Speaking about composition of the fora, the Chairman said that the members will be elected by wananchi votes and then each ward will be represented by five members except for Dar es Salaam where its Commission has opted for a different approach.

In Dar es Salaam, the incumbent Ward Councilor and four others, one representing youth another women one more for the elders and one other to be selected on geographical basis.

“Given its population, each ward in Dar es Salaam will be represented with eight members and there will be six fora in the region…” the Chairman explained.

The fora, according to the Chairman, will be formed and conducted by his Commission to collect public opinion on the Draft Constitution before the document is tabled before the Constituent Assembly in November later this year. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (05/02/2013): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=50877