Tanzania Constitution Forum (TCF) has said that, the
ongoing political platforms and seminars that aim to advocate awareness to
people about the contents endorsed in the draft of constitution are legal
meetings which help to reform the constitutional writing process. TCF’s
Chairman Deus Kibamba made a clarification over the matter on Wednesday this
week at a workshop organized by his organization that aimed to educate
representatives of 184 organizations which fall under the umbrella of the TCF
scattered in all districts in the country. The call by TCF chairman has come
after some members of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Tuesday last week called
for a review of Standing Orders to empower the assembly to summon those deemed
to be interfering in its duties. Kibamba noted that, the CA members currently
discussing the draft of constitution must accept such challenges as debates
organized in such meetings helps to air people’s views which could also be used
in the constitution making process currently being debated in the CA. Kibamba
was reacting against the idea by CA members who contributed a debate requesting
for an immediate suppression of such movements which are being advocated by
some NGOs in the country, and remarked that is a denial of freedom of
expression. The TCF had organized a
three day workshop for heads of their organizations working at a district level
with a view to educate them so as to understand the contents outlined in various
chapters and articles in the draft of a new constitution. The aim of the TCF is to let their
representatives acquire enough knowledge about the draft so that when they go
back to the people in their areas, they should also supply the same knowledge
to people as most Tanzanians are not quite aware of some contents proposed in
the draft. According to Kibamba, the writing of the new constitution is a collective
task that involves every citizen in the country and that among the roles to be
played by the CA is to respect proposals endorsed by the disbanded Constitution
Review Commission (CRC) as they are people’s views.
TCF’s
Chairman Mr. Deus Kibamba gestures when briefing journalists
He also noted that, TCF has
resolved to make use of its constitution forums to enlighten the general public
after having seen there is already a great split which has started to emerge among
politicians in the country. “We have seen the need to educate people who are
showing bad attitude over the constitutional writing process and some have
started to fight one another over the topic” he said and cautioned that the
current CA in discussion should not fault the disbanded CRC led by Judge Joseph
Warioba. He has expressed dismay as some people have shown bad tolerance
towards the constitution writing process in some districts in the country,
noting that this is not right as people should respect each others’ views over
the constitution making process. He said every citizen has the right to
contribute views over the constitution currently in discussion and no one has
the mandate to suppress them at this time when the CA is going on with the
process. Commenting on the issue, a member of the CRC, Humphrey Polepole who is
the main speaker said that, TCF members are quite unaware of the new
constitution and called for sensitization program through various political
platforms so as people should be made aware about the constitution itself. On
her part, a member of CA who attended the workshop Esther Bulaya ushered her
interest over the ongoing constitutional making process and said that, at this
time the CA should not form a grudge with members conducting meetings outside
the debating chamber. However, she said in an exclusive interview and queried
the rationale of waiting for other nations from outside the country to come
forward to settle our disputes and misunderstandings which have started to
emerge in the whole process of constitution writing. She has however, supported
proposals by the deputy Minister for Finance Mwigulu Nchemba, also a member of
CA who since the resumption of the second phase discussion of the constitution
writing process, put forward an argument requesting for the suspension of the
CA sessions until the two warring groups reach a consensus.
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