Constituent Assembly to decide country's destiny

President Dr Jakaya Kikwete 

By Katare Mbashiru, The Citizen Reporter

In Summary

• The lucky few who made the final list that was released last evening by the State House were drawn from 3,754 proposed names in ten groups.

Dar es Salaam. Finally, the names of the 201 individuals who will join MPs and members of the House of Representatives to form the Constituent Assembly have been revealed.

The lucky few who made the final list that was released last evening by the State House were drawn from 3,754 proposed names in ten groups.

The names were read by the acting Chief Secretary Dr. Florens Turuka who told weary journalists who were kept waiting for nearly two hours that President Jakaya Kikwete considered age, gender, religion, political parties and regional balance in selecting them.

Two-thirds of the names were from the mainland and the remaining one third was from Zanzibar as the law required.

The 201 individuals together with 357 MPs and 80 House of Representatives from Zanzibar will establish the eagerly awaited Constituent Assembly to kick-start the home-stretch for the envisaged new constitution.

The organ is scheduled to start its sittings on February 18 in the political capital city of Dodoma. They will debate the second draft constitution that was prepared by the Judge (rtd) Joseph Warioba-led Constitutional Review Commission.

According to the law, the members of this assembly will carry out the task for 70 days but the President could add the days by another 20 if the job would not have been completed by the scheduled timeframe.

The Constitution document developed here will then be subjected to a referendum before its promulgation, most likely ahead of the 2015 General Election. The public may accept or reject the proposed supreme law in the referendum.

There were no major surprises or omissions in the names released yesterday, with little known individuals landing the rare opportunity to participate in the historic process.

However there was a sprinkling of fairly well known politicians and other public figures, including the eye-catching nomination of former ambassador to Italy Prof Costa Ricky Mahalu who made it under faith-based organisations.

Prof Mahalu was among the first high ranking former state officials sued for alleged corruption in the fourth phase government but was acquitted in October 2012 of the charges arising from his role in purchasing a Tanzania embassy building in Rome.

Also in the list were veteran politicians Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru, former minister Paul Kimiti and Prof Ibrahim Lipumba. Controversial cleric and Democratic Party Chairman Christopher Mtikila, Prof Abdallah Safari, Peter Kuga Mziray, Hashim Rungwe and Fahmi Dovutwa were also considered. The last three contested the presidency alongside Mr Kikwete who triumphed in 2010.
 Other notable names are Valerie Msoka of Tamwa, Maria Sarungi Tsehai, Godfrey Simbeye and Media Council of Tanzania Executive Secretary Kajubi Mukajanga, former minister for natural resources Shamsa Mwangunga, James Mapalala of Chausta and Prof Bernadeta Kilian of UDSM.