Joseph Sinde Warioba
He made remarks to that effect when
presenting the first monthly report on the progress the team has made
since it started work on June 19, this year.
“The general trend has been for women to
turn up (before the commission) in massive numbers but, surprisingly,
most are often scared to air their views,” he said, mainly citing the
challenges the team was facing.
“The other challenge the commission has
had to contend with repeatedly relates to interference by political
parties that usually results in preventing people from enjoying their
freedom of expression, thus ending up airing the views of their
respective parties instead,” added the retired judge and former prime
minister.
He explained that political parties have
been giving statements and sometimes instructions they demand that their
members observe as proof that they toe the party line, “while this
clearly denies these people their freedom to air their own views”.
Judge Warioba demanded that political
parties refrain from such interference, adding: “Citizens across the
country, even in the remotest of areas, have a lot to say on what the
new Constitution should contain. All deserve the opportunity to make
their voices heard without let or hindrance.”
He meanwhile also cited shortage of time
as a serious constraint the commission was facing, elaborating: “The set
three-hour time for the commission to meet with the citizens on any
given day is far from enough. But we have no option but to abide by the
condition and ensure Tanzania gets a new Constitution for the benefit of
our people.”
The other challenge, according to Judge
Warioba, is that some people have been depending on only one way to
present their views – speaking at sessions of the commission – “while
there is a whole range of ways to do so, such as through email and post
offices”.
He added that the commission was at times
forced to move more slowly that planned, and therefore falling behind
schedule, because its duties coincided with community issues such as
prayers, business and domestic chores.
“Despite the challenges, though,
Tanzanians are assured of a new constitution that will guide them into
free, fair and peaceful elections come 2015,” said an upbeat Judge
Warioba.
He added that in order to make people more
aware of the Constitution Review Act of 2011, under which his
commission was constituted, they usually spend the first three hours at
every session clarify to the people various issues of national interest
and how they relate to the team’s work.
The issues include nationality and
patriotism, the rights and responsibilities of the citizenry, the
government’s duties and responsibilities, state authority and its
organisation, land and allied resources, importance of unity in the
country, democracy and political parties.
Among the others are Tanzania’s relations
with other African countries and the international community,
representation and law enactment systems, the systems of granting
constitutional rights, as well as defence and security matters.
According to Judge Warioba, the commission will embark on the second
phase of its work by touring Mbeya, Morogoro, Lindi, Ruvuma, Kigoma,
Katavi and Mwanza regions from August 27 to September 28. The
commission, which has 15 members from mainland Tanzania and as many from
Zanzibar, is charged with the collection of public opinion on the
review of the Tanzania and its validation via a referendum. It has a
budget of 40bn/- in financial year 2012/2013 and is expected to complete
its task by October 2013. President Jakaya Kikwete Judge Warioba and
former Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani as its chairman and vice
chairman, respectively, on April 6.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
0 comments:
Post a Comment