Constitution reform in kenya

kilandu

Member
Jul 2, 2007
48
3
It is very concerning and disheartening that our members of parliament can not truly come together for the sake of the nation and have a civilized and constructive debate on how to construct this constitution. Is it possible that there are somethings that we could learn from our neighbors in Kenya? Kenya was able to come together and implement this process. What is it really holding our members of parliament back. Is it personal interests or Is it lack of knowledge among some members of parliament or just there is a deliberate unwillingness to unite and come together as a nation.
 
Tanzanians should know that a constitution review process is a 'power alignment and realignment' process. Any discussion on the constitution has 2 sides of the story (a) those benefitting out of the current/existing constitution and these may want to support the status quo or changes which are incremental in nature but do not alter the power structure. In political reforms discourses these are refered to as anti-reformists (b) those who feel excluded from benefitting from the national cake (in all its pemutations -employment; resource allocation, political-social-economic positions ) by the current/existing constitution and may want/seek to alter the power structure so that more power is shared with them. These are refered to as reformists. What is clear from the events of the past few weeks -CCM and its government are in block a, they are benefitting from the existing/current constitution and may do whatever it takes (calling in all kinds of intellectual resources like the Kabudi's; locking out civil society) to protect the current power structure. Ofcourse the Kabudi's are called in because they are also benefiting from the current set-up and or have high hopes of continuing enjoying the spoils of the system or believe that their turns to benefit will come. I will not be surprised to see that these people have already been earmarked to fill in positions in the structures proposed in the muswada wa kubadilisha katiba Tanzania. The anti reformistst can only support incremental changes because they may not alter the fundamental structure or distribution of power.The changes proposed by the opposition party CHADEMA, Jukwa la Katiba and the likes of Professor Shivji will alter substantially the structure of political-social-and economic power in Tanzania. They are proposing for radical reforms in constitution making in Tanzania. This is threaterning to the current power holders in Tanzania. The question is -what can the opposition and the people of Tanzania who feel excluded and or disempowered do to get CCM to see that 50 years after political independence Tanzania needs to revisit the current structure of political-social-economic power distribution in Tanzania? How can CCM and its government see that the current political-social-and economic power structure in Tanzania is fatal and a fetter to its own development? In my humble opinion, CCM is destroying itself by seeking to maintain the status quo because the context (local and international) which supported the current power structure is not the same . 50 years back it was possible to coerse the public (mentally and physically) to accept ideologies such as chama kushika hatamu, heshima kwa viongozi, huruma ya viongozi, wenye nchi, adui wa umma etc. These ideological glutones which gelled Tanzania together have lost their potency. Tanzanians are settled in their minds that their lack of development and or underdevelopment is nothing but a result of bad governance propelled by the current constitution which has provided a fertile ground or enabled all what is bad to happen in our country. This is a reality which in my view is also appreciated by CCM MPS in particular Anna Kilango, Manyanya, Mwaiposa one Dr Something etc. I watched TV when these honoraubles were making their contributions and could see the outright lack of sincerity on their faces. Deep down in their hearts Manyanya and Killango know that our problems (like ufisadi for which Anna Kilango was awarded a prize as an anti-graft crusader) have arisen because of ufadhihina whose main foundation is a constitution that places to many powers and accountability in one arm of the state -i.e., the Presidency and can only be altered if accountability is shared with other arms of the state and the public in a formula to which can be agreed on through consttructive and inclusive national dialogue. Thus for Anna Kilango to stand up in Parliament and say that she does not see anything wrong with the muswaadas' placing excessive powers on the Presidency can only be interpreted in 2 ways (a) a hypocracy of the highest order and that what we saw/heard during the parliament was not the real Anna Kilango we know but an imposter hypnotised by a substance (prospects for a cabinet post) that we may not live to know (b) Our MPs in particular Anna Kilango, Manyanya, Mwaiposa etc comprehension of power and the causes of Tanzania's underdevelopment is too low to qualify them to be members of Parliament for a country like Tanzania whose previous good policies(e,g., free primary to university education, health care) produced intellectuals whose rightful positions have been hijacked by impositers and mediocres such as Anna Kilango and co. What can Tanzanians do to continue fighting for changing the current political-social and economic power structure?
1. Continue making noise in a peaceful manner and using other non-violence means (midahalo, educating others about our problems and how the current power structure is detrimental to the progress of our country). Remember Mahatma Gandhi the father of non violence theory of change, changed Indial through peaceful means. Violence is not going to help us.
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