Tanzania: President 4Rs Initiative in Top Gear
Top Gear — POLITICAL stakeholders have hailed President Samia Suluhu Hassan for consistency in walking her talk in the implementation of national agendas.
On Saturday the President instructed the Registrar of Political Parties Judge Francis Mutungi to summon a special meeting for the Political Parties Council to evaluate implementation of recommendations by the Task Force formed to assess political climate and multipartyism in the country.
Dr Samia issued the directives during a meeting held at the Chamwino State House in Dodoma with regard to the process of re-writing the new Constitution.
Commentators indicated that the move was a continuation of the revolution, which she had earlier initiated in the political arena including the formation of the Task Force among other initiatives.
A seasoned Political Scientist from the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Richard Mbunda was of the view that the President has continued to demonstrate her true political will, which had attracted discussions in the past.
He expressed optimism that the discussion will demonstrate maturity in the entire process from the beginning onwards.
“I am optimistic that political parties’ stakeholders will come up with concrete proposals contrary to the fact that the process was going to cease,” said Dr Mbunda.
He, however, noted that the proposals should be in line with periodisation on how they hope the process should be moved.
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Such proposals should include when to begin the process and how it should proceed in order to move forward.
On his part, the National Chairman for United Democratic Party (UDP) Mr John Cheyo, disclosed that the President was sticking to her words to ensure that the entire process demonstrates the need for engagement of all stakeholders within the country.
According to him, summoning the Political Parties Council was in line with the requirement of the law, as the rightful platform for the group to channel their suggestions.
“The issue relating to the Constitution is a national agenda and not for independent parties…now they have reached out to political parties in the long run and I am sure other groups will be reached as well,” said Mr Cheyo.
He urged fellow parties to go there and take part in the discussion taking into account that the agenda of the meeting has already been communicated.
The statement issued by the Director of Presidential Communications, Ms Zuhura Yunus, said the President meeting also focused on stakeholders’ engagement in the process as well as citizens from both Mainland and Zanzibar.
She also observed that among issues which will be dealt with aside from the issue of the Constitution, will include various law reforms related to elections namely the law of Political Parties and Registrar of Political Parties.
Some of the government leaders who took part at the State House meeting included the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliament) Ms Jenista Mhagama, Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Dr Damas Ndumbaro and executives of various Institutions.
