“ Do you expect someone who has walked out of the CA in protest of how you run the Assembly to come to your office to discuss the matter? The matter must be resolved by an independent team.”
Mr Deus Kibamba, Tanzania Constitution Forum Chairman
What you need to know:
A Dar constitutional lobby has asked two prominent figures from Kenya and Tanzania in an effort to try to end the stalemate on the suitable Union structure between Ukawa and Tanzania Kwanza
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Constitution Forum (TCF) has engaged Justice Barnabas Samatta and Patrice Lumumba from Kenya in trying to reconcile conflicting parties in the Constituent Assembly (CA).
TCF chairman Deus Kibamba, revealed this before journalists in the city yesterday, saying that they have an ambitious plan to intervene in the stalemate between the Coalition of Defenders of People’s Constitution (Ukawa) and Tanzania Kwanza supporters in the CA.
According to Mr Kibamba, TCF has requested the two prominent people to try and make a breakthrough in the stalemate, which has rocked the process of re-writing the country’s mother law.
Should they agree, he said, Justice (retired) Samatta will lead the team, which will meet the two sides. “We decided to request retired Justice Samatta due to his track record and experience in constitution writing process while Mr Lumumba is a very respected lawyer in Kenya,” explained Mr Kibamba.
According to him, TCF has decided to intervene in an attempt to break the stalemate on the suitable union structure.
Mr Kibamba said a plea by CA chairman Samuel Sitta for Ukawa members to go to his office or the Prime Minister’s office for discussion won’t rescue the situation.
“Do you expect someone who has walked out of the CA in protest of how you run the Assembly to come to your office to discuss the matter? The matter must be resolved by an independent team,” said he.
He also cautioned politicians and the people not to underestimate the division in the CA.
According to him, it isn’t only the CA which is divided, but the society as well.
