President Jakaya Kikwete meets senior Chadema officials for
consultations on the Constitutional Review Bill at State House, Dar es
Salaam on November 27, 2011.
PHOTO | FILE
In Summary
In November of the same year, the first
showdown was witnessed in Parliament, when the Bill was to be read for
the second time, with Chadema insisting it should be read for the first
time.
Dar es Salaam. The origional Constitutional
Review Bill 2011 had also faced stiff resistance before it was passed in
2011, with the Opposition being outmanoeuvred by the government with
promises that their concerns would be addressed by way of introducing
amendments.
As it came to the fore in the events that unfolded
last week in Parliament, their demand for changes in the composition of
the Constituent Assembly were never incorporated in the amendments.
And some analysts say that was a big mistake that
the opposition in parliament did, as it was proved two years later that
accommodating demands of the opposition on the Constitutional Review Act
would be difficult.
When they tried last week they failed and ended up in fistfights with the security personnel leaving Tanzanians perplexed
In 2011, the opposition MPs also walked out whey
they failed to agree on number of areas but their major focus was on the
formation of Constitutional Review Commission, fearing at that time
that President would appoint his ‘allies’.
In April 2011 some Zanzibaris tore the Bill in
front of minister for East African Cooperation, Mr Samuel Sitta, saying
it denied the Islanders from their right to chart the future of the
Union.In November of the same year, the first showdown was witnessed in
Parliament, when the Bill was to be read for the second time, with
Chadema insisting it should be read for the first time.
According to Mr Bashiru Ally, a political analyst
and assistant lecturer at University of Dar es Salaam, that was the time
Chadema and other opposition parties should have stuck to their guns
and demanded a better process for writing a new Katiba.
In a bid to find a consensus, President Kikwete
met with Chadema and CUF politicians at State House between November
2011 and January 2012. In April the President announced the
Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) Chaired by Judge (rtd) Joseph
Warioba, and many applauded the commission, describing it as inclusive
and balanced.
“That is where the Opposition got it all wrong,
they thought they are going to have a say since they had their cadres at
the CRC… Chadema has Prof Mwesiga Baregu, NCCR has Dr Sengodo Mvungi.
But if you look keenly and going by the argument of political
representation, you will see who enjoys majority card in the
Commission,” said the don.
The Citizen is well informed that in order to
avoid conflict of interest CRC members decided to shun political
affiliation and chose the country first.
Now as the country awaits the second Draft
Constitution and formation of Constituent Assembly which will scrutinise
the Draft, Mr Bashiru believes the passing of the recent amendment to
the Bill that established the whole process is clear indicator that the
opposition can’t call the shots.
“This is the true beginning… even if the President
will balance the number of ruling party MPs in the Constituent Assembly
alone tells you who will dominate the process. I believe the Opposition
missed the crucial steps right from the beginning, now they will have
to watch as things unfold.”
However, the executive director of Legal and Human Rights Centre
(LHRC) Hellen Kijo-Bisimba says the flaws in the Bill should be worked
on now so that Tanzanians get the Constitution they want.
She said her organisation doesn’t support the
opposition but LHRC has been vocal about the Bill and had earlier on
warned that putting all existing MPs in the Constituent Assembly would
be the biggest mistake.
“The mere excuse that MPs were elected by
Tanzanians doesn’t hold water here, we are all witnesses on how debates
in the Parliament of late have been subjected to party affiliations, and
we can’t simply allow the same culprits to debate the crucial part of
constitution making,” she said.
SOURCE: THE CITIZEN
SOURCE: THE CITIZEN
