In an unpresented move, the newly elected members of the
Constituent Assembly (CA) have been warned not to interact their discussions
with the union affair while contributing a debate on the second draft of the new
constitution with a view to defend it as it has a national interest. The call
was made on Friday last week in Dar es Salaam by a member of the Tanzania
Constitution Forum (TCF) Hebron Mwakagenda when presenting his paper during a
two day seminar for the newly elected constituent Assembly members which was
organized by the forum. A two day seminar which ended yesterday aimed to brain
stain the minds of the elected 201 members in order to get prepared for a long
session which is ahead of them of discussing the second draft of the national constitution
whose session starts in Dodoma next week. During his presentation, Mwakagenda informed
the members the majority of whom seemed to be unaware of some national matters that
there are certain matters in the current constitution which have greater
potential to the people in the country and that should not be interfered with. He
noted that, among them is the union matter which he said is something which has
to remain intact and that should not be discussed at any cost as it has the
interest of the people of two countries, Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
He also
highlighted to the members to strictly observe the laid down house standing
orders while contributing their views while going though each Cap and sections
of in the constitution, urging them not to force an argument except to
brainstorm an idea and come up with a solution. The house standing orders he
said would be made available to them in their first two days prior to the start
of the session. This he said would be after being sworn in to become full
members of the Constituent Assembly. However, he said adding that, the house
standing orders would direct them on how to present ideas and have respect for
the ongoing discussions and how they should conduct the debates with all respects
reserved. Other things which he told the members is about their discussions
which he noted that should directly be focused from within the scope of the
matter in discussion and shouldn’t anyone drive his or her points from what has
been written in the draft. “Your task is to observe one paragraph after the
other as outlined in the constitutional draft, and therefore it wouldn’t be
fair at all to inject a point which would seem completely irrelevant to the matter
in discussion” he said urging them to stick to the standing orders as they are
all matured people. On her part, the Speaker of the National Parliament Anne
Makinda who will also be among the members to join the elected team together
with other parliamentarians in a joint debate discussion over the constitution
told the elected members that, highly disciplined character is needed to be
observed in such big gatherings which discusses matters of the national
importance.
Drawing her experience as a speaker of the National Assembly, she reminded
the elected members to respect their chairman who would be elected to conduct
the debates. She also urged the members to stick their ideas for the national
unity and put aside their political differences as the constitution does not
belong to any political party in the country. She said people should not look
at a face of a speaker on the floor, and who speaks what, but the best thing to
avoid inconveniences in respect of the arguments put forward, they should
concentrate on the ideas on a particular phrase in the constitution. The
speaker of the National Assembly has also warned the members not to be tempted in
anyway by an inducement into accepting somebody’s ideas among those ones put
forward for discussion. Anne Makinda is on the view of the fact that, they
shouldn’t accept any bribe or envelopes aimed to seek for a majority support of
an opinion that might be in discussion just to defend the interest of the few
people or groups. “Temptations should not be allowed to lure your minds into
accepting an idea which you know thoroughly well that won’t help the future of
the nation and the incoming generation” she said adding that, all members
should understand the fact that, a constitution is a document which defends the
rights of the people and their properties in any country.
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