CCM: We’re ready for talks on Constitution

By Edward Qorro The Citizen Reporter Dar es Salaam. CCM yesterday expressed its willingness to meet with opposition parties and hold “sober” discussions on the Constitution. However, CCM publicity secretary John Chiligati said the Opposition should come up with concrete proposals as opposed to the current clamour, which he dismissed as “mere political rhetoric”. He told The Citizen that CCM was ready to have a dialogue with other parties if they pinpointed contentious sections of the Constitution. “CCM is willing to sit with other parties but they should raise sensible arguments as to why we need to have a new constitution,” Mr Chiligati said by telephone from his Manyoni East Constituency. He argued that debate on the Constitution should not be guided by public euphoria, but concrete arguments showing why a new set of laws was desirable. “It is illogical if they are acting on pressure…we need to have a sober debate devoid of vested interests,” he said. On why CCM was not represented at a forum organised in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the Tanzania Centre for Democracy, Mr Chiligati said he was not in a position to explain the party’s absence from the gathering.  “I have been away for several days now, and I’m not sure whether the TCD sent an invitation,” he said. Speaking during the forum, Registrar of Political Parties John Tendwa said those agitating for a new constitution had a point, but said any debate should be “sensible”. “It is urgent that we review the whole Constitution and make amendments where necessary…we should leave no stone unturned in attaining this,” he said. He said, however, that any changes should ultimately be geared at safeguarding national interests. “We can sit down and brainstorm with one goal in our minds – safeguarding national interests,” Mr Tendwa emphasised.  He added that there were some sections of the Constitution that needed to be reviewed such as that which gave the President powers to appoint members of the National Electoral Commission. Yesterday’s forum brought together 17 political parties, and discussed the push for a new constitution in the wake of mounting pressure on the government by various sections of society. The Minister for Constitutional Affairs and Justice, Ms Celina Kombani, recently challenged legal experts to come up with tangible arguments as to why it was crucial to overhaul the Constitution. Several prominent personalities have added their voices to the debate.  They include retired President Benjamin Mkapa and Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani. Mr Justice Ramadhani said people should be allowed to freely debate as to whether  Tanzania needs a new Constitution. Speaking in Dar es Salaam when launching the Tanzania Network of Legal Aid Providers’ five-year strategic plan for the poor and marginalised in society, the CJ said debate should be encouraged with a view to reaching common ground that would in Tanzania’s best interests. He said allowing public debate was the best way of handling the matter. The chairman of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRGG), Mr Justice (rtd) Amir Manento and Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) president Felix Kibodya are other notable personalities who have commented on the clamour for a new constitution.