Stakeholders say Tanzania democracy has retrogressed

Dar es Salaam. Democracy stakeholders yesterday said the country has retrogressed democratically, 30 years after the re-instatement of the multiparty democracy in 1992.

They argued that a new constitution was the only solution that would correct where we erred, calling on Tanzanians to wake up and demand for the document that will bring people centred development.

Those are part of remarks made during a forum to deliberate on democratic achievements and challenges facing the country. The forum was organized by the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS).

Speaking during the event, a veteran journalist, Mr Jenerali Ulimwengu, said the country’s democracy setbacks were recorded during the fifth phase government that include the 2019 local polls and the 2020 General Election. He said the country should look for answers and set intervention measures that would enable the country to strengthen its democracy.

“We are supposed to know how we move out of this. We have been speaking about reconciliation, but the question is why should we reconcile? Who has been hurt?” he questioned.

“If we don’t do so, we will go back where we were. If that place isn’t good, how are we getting from there and moving forward?” he asked.

Mr Ulimwengu said President Samia Suluhu Hassan is showing the way on how to make corrections, calling for the public to support her by providing criticism ideas.

Chadema’s secretary general John Mnyika said it is disappointing that 30 years down the line, the country has failed to write its new constitution despite changes taking place politically, socially, economically and technologically.

He said TLS should take the responsibility as the frontline institution in pushing for the new constitution which is the mother law vested with powers to address the available challenges.

“If we don’t agree as a nation about the need for the new constitution, we will come back here in the next 30 years for the same dialogue. We need the new constitution to address all the challenges that we are facing as a country,” said Mr Mnyika.

An independent political commentator, Mr Buberwa Kaiza, said most troubles the country is facing are caused by the poor understanding of citizens.

“Citizens have the unnecessary problem of fear. Tanzania doesn’t belong to president or any lawmaker, but it belongs to all citizens,” he said.

For his part, Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC) chairman Hamad Rashid said political parties have failed to groom appropriate people to bring development.

“We should admit failure in that area. Politics resembles a football match. Whenever an offside goal is accepted, then you are defeated,” said Zanzibar’s former health minister.

Constitutional and Legal Affairs Deputy minister Geofrey Pinda commended the session, saying it was healthy for the country.

He said the country had no bad laws, saying however that some of them are outdated, hence they are supposed to be amended.

“The government would like to see recommendations that when worked out, they will help the country to move forward,” he said.