Civic United Front national Chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, delivers Christmas and New Year messages at a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday. (Photo: Khalfan Said)The Civic United Front (CUF) in collaboration with civil societies has prepared a draft constitution, offering it as an input in drawing up the basic law.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday CUF chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba said they expect to submit the draft to the Minister for Constitutional Affairs and Justice, Celina Kombani next Tuesday.
“This is now the main agenda. We can’t have true democracy without passing a new constitution which accommodates present demands, providing a fair political arena to all political stakeholders,” said Lipumba.
Prof Lipumba said President Jakaya Kikwete must set off the process by forming a small committee of personalities respected by society to collect public views on the constitution they want.
He said the committee should complete the work in a year’s time so that the views could be used as guidance in drawing up the new constitution.
“We congratulate Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda for promising to advise President Jakaya Kikwete so that he can take into consideration the issue of constitution,” said Lipumba.
Pinda in his first meeting with editors from various media institutions recently said he will advise President Jakaya Kikwete to appoint a team to look into modalities of preparing a new constitution for the country.
He said the matter fell under his docket as head of the Constitution and Parliament Committee, one of the four committees of the cabinet, adding: “I believe there is no difficulty in this and as Prime Minister, I am ready to take the initiative to advise the president on the formation of the team to look into the modalities of having a new constitution,” he said.
Lipumba said it was the wish of his party to see the new constitution before the coming local government, elections to be held in 2014 and general election in 2015.
He said CUF has since the first multiparty election in 1995, been involved in demanding for a new constitution, adding that it was in the constitutional reforms committee (KAMAKA) and thereafter, in peaceful demonstrations for the same objective.
He said after the 2005 general election, his party initiated a dialogue involving political parties, and civil societies to discuss the recommendations for a new constitution.
Kenya's High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mutiso Mutinda, recently advised Tanzania against being as slow in drawing up a new constitution.
He said waiting for over 20 years to come up with a new constitution has taught his country bitter lessons.
The issue has been the main agenda with leaders and other high-profile figures from Tanzania’s public and private sectors, pressure groups, political parties and ordinary citizens pushing for constitutional reforms, while others called for a complete overhaul of the current (1977) constitution.
Human Rights and Good Governance Commission Chairman retired High Court judge Amir Manento was recently quoted as saying Tanzania cannot help drawing up a new constitution. Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani has also joined the constitutional reform debate, urging the government to consider the issue as a fundamental need for the nation.
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