KATIBA: Postpone CA, urges forum

Constituent Assembly (CA) clerk Yahya Khamis Hamad goes through views and recommendations from CA reconciliation committee after a meeting in Dar es Salaam on Thursday.  PHOTO | EMMANUEL HERMAN 

By Frank Kimboy, The Citizen Reporter

Posted  Saturday, July 26   2014 at  08:58

In Summary

• However, the forum called on CA members to draft a time frame from which the country would get its Katiba after the 2015 General Election

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Constitution Forum (TCF) has proposed that the Katiba-making process be suspended until after the 2015 General Election.

Two sides — the ruling party and  the Group of Defenders of the People’s Constitution (Ukawa) —  have failed to reach a consensus on it.

 

In April, Ukawa members boycotted the CA to press for the people’s views as contained in the second draft constitution to be honoured and in protest against abusive language from their CCM counterparts.

The TCF suggestion comes before  the Constituent Assembly resumes next month.

TCF vice chairman  Hebron Mwakagenda told a news conference yesterday here that instead of continuing to waste public resources, constitution and laws governing elections should be amended to ensure  a free and fair election in 2015.

However, Mr Mwakagenda said all CA members should convene in Dodoma for two weeks to draft a timeframe from which the country would get its new constitution after the 2015 General Election.

Mr Mwakagenda said lack of the timetable had been derailing the process as no Tanzanian knew exactly when the new constitution would be in place since the expiry of the April 26 deadline put by President Jakaya Kikwete.

According to Mr Mwakagenda, it is difficult for Tanzania to get its new constitution under the current situation when the 2015 election temperature is rising.

“Attempts to reconcile Ukawa and Tanzania Kwanza failed because of election temperature; one side supports two government union system because it believes under the system they will win the election while the other side is in favour of three government system,” said Mr Mwakagenda.

The latest attempt to break the CA stalemate by Constituent Assembly chairman  Samuel Sitta failed as Ukawa members boycotted the meeting. However, briefing  journalists yesterday  CA clerk  Yahya Khamis Hamad said the reconciliation meeting decided to continue with the CA in the Ukawa absence.

He said MCAs would amend some of CA standing orders which would likely hinder the CA operations especially when it comes to the need for a quorum when passing decisions.

However, Mr Mwakagenda explained that the fact that the nation is supposed to implement six major national projects within the next 15 months before the election makes it difficult to get the new mother law before 2015.