FROM TANZANIA WITH WHAT?, KATIBA

As Ugandans keep eyes and ears on the political unfurl within the NRM, Rwandans focus on the Kwibuka flame launched two months ago in preparation to mark 20yrs after genocide next month. Hopelessly, South Sudanese continue to watch their nation as it descend into violence further. Tanzanian are anxiously digging up both bliss and discontent from the historical Constitutional Assembly.

The 629 members-Dodoma Constitutional Assembly (CA) was initiated to debate the new constitution drafted by Constitution Review Commission. Nevertheless, two weeks later, the CA is yet to start serious business.

Two days after inauguration, political and economical fortitudes among (CA) members overlapped gracious spirits. At first, they solicited government to increase their daily allowance, saying the Sh300,000 they were getting was nothing other than ‘peanuts’. They wanted the amount increased to roughly Sh700,000 ($437.5) a day to enable them afford accommodation, pay their drivers, other personal assistants and above all bankroll their daily expenses in Dodoma during the 90-day period.
Remember, these 629 CA members who at the current approved allowance rates (300,000) cost taxpayers Sh188,700,000 ($117,937.5) a day.
Then here comes the voting mode.  Whereas it is widely believed that CCM is in favour of for an open ballot system in order to check those from its flock who would deviate from the party’s stand on various aspects of the Katiba draft. A number of prominent CCM legislators publicly protested against CCM move arguing that they would not support open voting on grounds it is against democratic principles.
What about golden maces?.  CA members demanded that government two golden symbolic-expensive maces each weighing at least 3.5kgs of gold. According to current world prices, a kilogramme of gold costs slightly over $42,800 (about Sh68.5 million). For the 3.5 kilogrammes required for each mace, the bill would have been $150,125 or Sh240.2 million per mace. One mace would be kept in the Mainland and the other in Zanzibar. Later, government demurred CA order which forced them to drop it.

CA members will luxuriously sworn in delegates choose to be sworn in individually. The decision will cost the taxpayers a whopping Sh558 million in upkeep and special allowances for 629 members for the three days when they will be doing nothing but waiting to be sworn in.

Women members demanded a rule that would guarantee that one of them was elected either the chairperson or deputy. They exploded to their feet and chanted for their rights after some men tried to downplay their demand that the regulations state categorically that when the candidate for the post of chairperson was a man, a woman should vie for the position of deputy and vice-versa.

Unlike in many Africa’s so called democrats, were dissenting groups are condemned. The Constituent Assembly agreed to respect dissenting views. It was agreed that committee chairpersons be given not more than 60 minutes to table their reports after which another committee member will be given 30 minutes to air views on behalf of the group which did not agree with the majority’s views.
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 The above consensus came as results of heated debates and lobbying which could sometimes take more than a day. No wonder, after two weeks, CA is yet to start real business that every Tanzanian anticipates them to do. The process which had been stipulated to take duration of 90days could surpass this duration. This means poor tax payers will have to cough needed to keep them at work.