Chadema’s twelve-point plan to re-discover form

Dar es Salaam. The main opposition Chadema last week unveiled a 12-point plan in a new policy document that could easily pass as the party’s fresh strategy to revitalise itself amid piling pressure from various quarters.

The 78-page document contains issues on constitution, governance, social market economy, internal politics, social politics, education and science and health.

Other issues are land management, agriculture, infrastructure, environment and foreign policy.

The party’s new policy document comes 25 years after the first plan was introduced to the public in 1993, a year after the reintroduction of multiparty democracy in the country.

In the latest plan, Chadema promises Tanzanians the realisation of a better country, once the party is trusted with opportunity to govern. Here is a summary of the opposition’s new policy areas:

Constitution

The opposition notes that it believes in a people-centred constitution, which incorporates and comes from the views of the people, especially on how they want to be governed. On this, Chadema pledges to respect human rights by ratifying international treaties, amend and repeal laws that infringe principles of human rights.

More so, the party says it wants the judiciary to be independent. This will be achieved through the formation of a law enforcement organ that will observe the rule of law, expand the jurisdiction of the constitutional court, protect the powerless and the minorities, consider the prisons as the re-integration units and move correctional units to the Ministry of Justice.

Governance

Chadema pledges to uphold the anti-corruption war, decentralise and improve state of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

It says it will enhance transparency, secure accountability, advance inclusiveness, safeguard democracy, hold democratic elections and form independent electoral bodies to guarantee good governance in the country.

Social market economy

The opposition is also pledging accommodated engagement to the growing private sector, integrated macroeconomic strategy, comparative advantage in industrialization, enhancing finance and banking sector, improve sustainable management of the mining industry, expand tourism industry and commercialise sports, games and culture.

On mining, the opposition says it will pursue sustainable management of mines through among other things reformation of the legal framework and creation of sovereign funds for development.

Internal politics

The opposition promises to strengthen security on the country’s borders, instill a sense of national security for all and transform the police force to police services.

And in order to uphold the jobs agenda, it pledges job creation and income generation, job creation in rural areas through value addition, and the creation of employment information centres.

Social politics

Social inclusion, urbanisation and rural development and demographic development are some of the issues the opposition party is pledging if given the mandate.

Chadema pledges to promote gender equality and equality, equal rights and opportunity and support the underprivileged.

On urbanisation and rural development, it promises the regulation of housing, real estate, as well as guarantee rural housing financing.

Education and science

The five issues here are: knowledge innovation system, adaptive curriculum development, improving teachers’ affairs, vocational education/training and improved learning environment.

According to Chadema, encouraging enduring research based knowledge, accreditation systems for centres of excellence and building knowledge based economy will be key.

The opposition also advocates for inclusive curriculum development, advanced exchange programs and scholarships and entrepreneurial education.

Health

Chadema promises improved human resources and health service delivery, improved health financing and improved research and technology in this sector. It seeks to achieve this through improved training of personnel in the health services delivery, as well as retaining and maintaining health human resource.

In order to ensure the sector is well financed, Chadema promises advanced inclusive health insurance, provide subsidy and exemption in health commodities and investing at least 15 per cent of the country’s national budget to the sector.

In the area of research, Chadema promises advanced technology, allocation of sufficient funds for medical research, enhancing the National Medical Research Council and registering local health patents.

Land management

In this area, Chadema promises citizens with land ownership and inclusive land planning.

According to Chadema’s document, it pledges the promotion of individual land ownership, encourage joint ownership of land, create competitive policies for government ownership of land, facilitating customary ownership of land and creating policies for foreign leasehold.

Furthermore, the main opposition party promises comprehensive land mapping, urban and rural planning, equitable access of land and sound land disputes resolution mechanisms.

Agriculture

Chadema promises outstanding food security, improved fishing industry, exchange of agricultural commodities, improved livestock industry and modernised farming.

Improving the country’s food reserve, food production, supply, distribution and ensure the distributed food is nutritious form part of the list of what the opposition is planning under this catergory.

Also, the main opposition party pledges commercial fish farming, introduction of deep sea fishing, fish research and development, building sustainable fishing industry and encourage pond and home fishing.

Furthermore, Chadema pledges establishment of legal frameworks to encourage exchange of agricultural commodities.

The opposition also promises to do more to improve the country’s infrastructure, taking into consideration the fact that it’s vital to economic development.

The other policy areas it highlights in the new document are environment, and foreign relations. On the environment, Chadema pledges a comprehensive climate change policy among other things.

And on international relations, it pledges a “well-defined foreign policy and politics’ that promote sovereignty, economic interest as well as cultural heritage and values.