Forum
Details
The more than 100 participants included representatives of political parties and civil society organisations, jurists, constitutional experts and students as well as citizens interested in the topic.
Tanzania is about to enter into a constitutional reform process that both government and opposition consider to be urgently required. However, the contents and the correct way of approaching a new constitution are being intensively discussed. Opposition and civil society sharply criticised a first draft bill issued by the government for giving the president and his government rights that would allow them to dominate the review process. According to that bill, opposition and civil society would not be given a strong voice in the process.
Since the conference took place within the framework of the Maendeleo Dialogue, a series of conferences on current political issues established by TADIP and KAS, it primarily dealt with the matter of principles of a legitimate constitutional reform process. The opening speech held by the constitutional expert Prof. Dr. Chris Maina Peter and a comment by Bashiru Ally critically addressing the government bill were followed by intensive discussions. Finally, a task force was established for the purpose of summarising the conference results and preparing recommendations on how to improve the bill. The results will be published and made available to the members of the National Parliament.
One day after the conference, the government withdrew the constitutional reform bill before its first reading in Parliament in response to its widespread rejection by opposition and civil society who ask for more involvement and consideration in the development of a new bill.
KAS in Dar es Salaam will continue to keep an eye on the constitutional reform and provide support by organising events and providing publications on the matter.
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