Stakeholders push for public accountability, transparency

 

 

By  Frank Aman  

In Summary

• The meeting was held to discuss various challenges on to what extent development projects had failed to introduce good evaluation systems, where they also debated the new Constitution review process.

Dar es Salaam. As Tanzanians await constitutional assemblies across the country to start discussing what should be written in the new fundamental law, there are mixed views presented from institutional stakeholders about the new Constitution.

The new mother law is expected to be in place by next year and if all goes well, the forthcoming general election in 2015 will be held under a new Constitution.

For instance, as Tanzania is going through a constitutional review process, Tanzania Evaluation Association (TanEA) has proposed a number of initiatives to strengthen public accountability and transparency for development results.

TanEA programme coordinator Barnabas Lupande said this recently during the first TanEA meeting of 2013 with the theme ‘Evaluation and Policy Influence’.

The meeting was held to discuss various challenges on to what extent development projects had failed to introduce good evaluation systems, where they also debated the new Constitution review process.

He said there was a need to have a clause in the new Constitution that would enable public accountability and transparency and a clear framework that would help foster development of individuals and the nation at large. “As we are still discussing what should be written in the new Constitution, there should be a clause that will oblige public agencies to evaluate development projects implemented to demonstrate their accountability,” he said.

Mr Lupambe said many development projects under public agencies and non-governmental organisations had failed to achieve their objectives due to lack of an effective system to evaluate successes and challenges.

In another development, Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) wants changes in the Draft Constitution to ensure equal opportunities for women and men and all marginalised groups.

This will ensure participation of all citizens in all important decisions, including the country’s national budget.

The feminist organisation also opined that the new Constitution should nullify all laws that contradict the fundamental and basic human rights for women and men. TGNP wants all oppressive laws or those that allow discriminatory practices to be amended or repealed.

TGNP is of the view that a Constitution which acknowledges substantive gender equality is one that emerges from a review process that includes collective voices of both women and men, highlighting shared values and key principles.