Evod Mmanda, CA member.
After four days of protracted discussions on Chapters One and Six of the draft constitution, the twelve committees are tomorrow expected to present the views and supporting arguments of their members.
The committees started their discussions behind closed doors last week, with members airing their views and casting their votes on various sections of the two chapters. Members also demanded clarifications on matters related to the Union articles and charter.
According to standing orders number 33 (2), the chairman of each committee will present the group’s report for not more than one hour, while standing order 33 (5) says the minority report will be presented for not more than 30 minutes.
This means that all the twelve committee will need at least 18 hours to make their presentations before starting the debate which according to subsection 7, section 33 of the standing orders the committees will take not more than three days.
Dr Francis Michael, a CA member representing the education sector said through the discussions in the assembly, Tanzanians should expect to get the real picture of the proposed constitution, as members will discuss openly their committees’ views and arguments.
He said every committee will present what its members agreed or disagreed on in detail.
For his part Evod Mmanda, another CA member said the process starting tomorrow should be taken seriously, calling on the general public to follow the discussions on the two chapters closely.
“It is best that we listen to the arguments, their grounds and consider their viability,” said Mmanda.
Hamad Rashid Mohamed, Chairman of Committee number 5 said those who support the three-government system will have to convince their counterparts based on arguments how the new government structure will address the problem of the Union.
Addressing the assembly earlier last week in Dodoma, Chairman of the CA, Samuel Sitta said they started working on chapter one and six because the two determine the government structure upon which the other chapters of the draft constitution depend.
“Issues regarding parliament, the judicial system, human rights and others depend on the government’s structure, hence starting otherwise would not have made sense,” he said.
He clarified that chapter eight which deals with relations and coordination of the government is also related to chapters one and six but as per the orders, the committees are to discuss only two chapters concurrently.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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