THRDC calls for urgent action on constitutional reform after 2025 ballot

The proposals were shared by Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) national coordinator Onesmo Olengumwa in a press conference held yesterday to outline recommendations for advancing the constitutional reform agenda.

He acknowledged that political parties that have included the issue of a new constitution in their election campaigns.

“Our assessment has shown that political parties and their candidates have made the new constitution one of their key priorities should they be elected to lead the country,” Mr Olengurumwa said.

He highlighted political parties such as CCM, Chaumma, ACT-Wazalendo, CUF and others that have made pledges for the implementation of a new constitution.

“We stress that political parties and the leaders elected must ensure they fulfil their promises to revitalise the constitutional reform process.”

In order to ensure the reform process is effectively carried out, Mr Olengumwa proposed several key measures, including national consensus, genuine leadership and the establishment of a national reconciliation committee to guide the process.

To save time and resources, the THRDC have proposed merging the themes from three important constitutional documents: the Warioba Draft, the proposed constitution and the current constitution of Tanzania.

“Considering that we already have the people’s constitution, the current constitution and the proposed draft, we suggest that to save time and resources, the process should begin by analysing and combining the themes from these three documents,” Mr Olengumwa added.

He also emphasised the need for a national experts’ committee that will help merge these drafts and offer national guidance on the matter.

“We propose the establishment of a legal committee consisting of no more than 25 experts with the necessary professional qualifications, ensuring broad representation from both the union and various social groups.”

Furthermore, Mr Olengumwa pointed out that the committee must be independent, with no political bias.

“A significant challenge in the previous process was giving too much power to politicians, which led some members to prioritise personal and party interests over national interests.”

To avoid such conflicts of interest, Mr Olengumwa proposed that any individual participating in the constitutional reform committee should be prohibited from running for election for at least ten years.

This will ensure that the process remains transparent, accountable and free from political interference.

THRDC also recommended amending the Constitution Amendment Act No. 8 of 2011 or passing new legislation in the first parliament following the 2025 general elections.

“The amendments should incorporate the key themes that emerge from national consensus, ensuring that the expectations of the people are legally validated,” Olengumwa said.

The THRDC proposals emphasised the importance of timely action to prevent the delays and confusion seen in previous constitutional processes.

“The goal is to begin the reform process within one year of the elections. This will help avoid the repetition of delays and setbacks as seen in the past,” Mr Olengumwa said.

Additionally, a swift start to the process would help preserve the momentum of debates and ideas raised during the campaigns and elections.

“We should avoid initiating the constitutional process close to the election period, as we’ve already witnessed the negative impacts of handling such issues during election years, as happened in 2024/25,” he added.

Mr Olengumwa also clarified that the constitutional reform process is not about changing the president but about creating a system that impacts the daily lives of all citizens.

He urged leaders to stop claiming that a new constitution cannot address practical issues like infrastructure development.

“The new constitution should be about addressing the needs of the people, not just about political officeholders.”

THRDC programs and operations director Halima Sonda emphasised that key priorities in CSOs’ political agendas include constitutional reform, good governance, human rights, anti-corruption measures, inclusive economic development and improvements in social services.

“The principles of these agendas are designed to give space for civil society organisations and citizens to outline the key issues that political parties should focus on when drafting their manifestos,” she said.

The proposal marks an important step towards ensuring that the constitutional reform process in Tanzania is completed in a timely, transparent and efficient manner, for the benefit of all citizens.