First draft Katiba draws muted criticism in Z’bar

Justice (rtd) Joseph Warioba 

By  Citizen Reporters 
 

 

In Summary

The proposed parliament would have 75 members--50 from the Mainland, 20 from Zanzibar and five appointed by the President.

Dar es Salaam/Zanzibar. The draft constitution was received with measured criticism in Zanzibar yesterday as voices that advocated full autonomy for the Isles went silent. Prominent politicians and experts who have been in the forefront championing more independence for Zanzibar were unavailable for comment and people interviewed at street level said the draft was tilted against the Isles. It is a position also held by the deputy secretary general of the Civic United Front, Mr Hamad Masoud Hamad.

Zanzibaris have been calling for more autonomy within the Union akin to the structure of the United
 Kingdom. Those who spoke to The Citizen said their proposals on the structure of the union were largely ignored. Mr Hamad argued that allocating Zanzibaris fewer seats in the proposed union parliament amounts to shortchanging them. The proposed parliament would have 75 members--50 from the Mainland, 20 from Zanzibar and five appointed by the President.

“In the union, we are equal partners,” Mr Hamad said. “There is no small country and big country. That is why all countries in the East African Community field equal numbers of members in the EAC Legislative Assembly regardless of the size of the country or its population.”

Mr Shaaban Idd Ame, 34 and a resident of Kibeni in the Kusini Unguja region, argued that most wishes of Zanzibaris had been left out in the draft constitution. “The expectations of Zanzibaris were that the union would break up first and then a new pact entered between two countries as equal partners,” he added. “But that wish has been ignored. I wonder why.”

The proposed structure of the union would resemble that of the United States, he went on, while Zanzibaris want a structure that resembles that of the United Kingdom. The deputy secretary-general of the ruling CCM in Zanzibar, Mr Vuai Ali Vuai, appealed for calm, assuring his people that there was still room for further improvement of the draft constitution. He added: “CCM Zanzibar totally agrees with and approves the draft constitution. We urge members of the constitution fora to be proactive and participate fully in improving the document.”

Fifty three-year-old Hashim Moh’d, a resident of Darajani in Zanzibar, argued that “Tanganyikans” stood to gain more from the proposed constitution. “We wanted more autonomy, specifically on immigration and citizenship, foreign affairs, the central bank and currency but our voices have not been heard,” he added.

Masoud Suleiman, 51 and a resident of Bububu, said it was sovereignity for Zanzibar now or never. Taxi driver Abdallah Hamad, 33, added: “This draft constitution is a joke and what it has done is to benefit mainlanders.”

An immediate and stronger reaction was expected in Zanzibar, especially from prominent politicians and experts, given that the desire of many people in the Isles for more autonomy was not fulfilled.

Days before the unveiling of the draft constitution, the Zanzibar Reconciliation Committee--which oversaw the burying of the hatchet between rival political groups in the Isles culminating in a government of national unity, outlined 17 areas in which Zanzibar should have full autonomy in the Union dispensation. One of the Committee members, Mr Ismail Jussa, told The Citizen that a call for autonomy would be the second phase of their drive to ensure Zanzibar got full autonomy in a new Union structure under the envisaged new constitution.

Additional reporting by Talib Ussi from Zanzibar