BAK
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 11, 2007
- 124,790
- 288,006
University don calls for lesser presidential powers
ALVAR MWAKYUSA
THIS DAY
Dar es Salaam
A UNIVERSITY of Dar es Salaam scholar, Prof. Haroub Othman, has called for reduction of the powers vested in the president under the national constitution.
Prof. Othman made the call in Dar es Salaam last week during a workshop jointly organized by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) and the Registrar of Political Parties.
According to the don, the powers vested in the president are too sweeping, and some of these powers should have been allocated to the National Assembly and the House of Representatives in Zanzibar..
The two-day workshop with the theme: Corruption in Politics and Political Parties Funding was attended by leaders of various political parties, members of parliament, academia and the public in general.
Prof. Othman said for example, it is improper for the president to appoint and confirm High Court judges, ambassadors and high commissioners, among others.
He said these responsibilities could be shifted to parliament and the House of Reps.
Even the appointments of officials for the National Electoral Commission and Zanzibar Electoral Commission are not satisfactory at all. Such appointments should be done by parliament and the House of Reps, he added.
I usually tell my students (at UDSM) that the only powers that the president lacks are those of appointing professors, he further joked.
Attributing moral decay in society to the present levels of corruption in the country, Prof. Othman asserted that there are many intellectuals who are running to politics because of the promise of handsome payment packages in politics...you can just see how many professors are currently in politics.
He further suggested that cabinet ministers should not be appointed from amongst members of parliament, but instead �other people with integrity� should be recruited for ministerial posts.
A workshop participant stated that corruption is vivid in all forms especially during elections, and that apart from money and material possessions, there is also sexual corruption.
It is true that some of the women vying for special seats in parliament are engaged in sexual corruption in order to win the seats, the participant said.
On his part, the legislator for Maswa Constituency on a ruling CCM ticket, John Shibuda, said there are people who are being used by political stooges to ruin some political parties in the country.
ALVAR MWAKYUSA
THIS DAY
Dar es Salaam
A UNIVERSITY of Dar es Salaam scholar, Prof. Haroub Othman, has called for reduction of the powers vested in the president under the national constitution.
Prof. Othman made the call in Dar es Salaam last week during a workshop jointly organized by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) and the Registrar of Political Parties.
According to the don, the powers vested in the president are too sweeping, and some of these powers should have been allocated to the National Assembly and the House of Representatives in Zanzibar..
The two-day workshop with the theme: Corruption in Politics and Political Parties Funding was attended by leaders of various political parties, members of parliament, academia and the public in general.
Prof. Othman said for example, it is improper for the president to appoint and confirm High Court judges, ambassadors and high commissioners, among others.
He said these responsibilities could be shifted to parliament and the House of Reps.
Even the appointments of officials for the National Electoral Commission and Zanzibar Electoral Commission are not satisfactory at all. Such appointments should be done by parliament and the House of Reps, he added.
I usually tell my students (at UDSM) that the only powers that the president lacks are those of appointing professors, he further joked.
Attributing moral decay in society to the present levels of corruption in the country, Prof. Othman asserted that there are many intellectuals who are running to politics because of the promise of handsome payment packages in politics...you can just see how many professors are currently in politics.
He further suggested that cabinet ministers should not be appointed from amongst members of parliament, but instead �other people with integrity� should be recruited for ministerial posts.
A workshop participant stated that corruption is vivid in all forms especially during elections, and that apart from money and material possessions, there is also sexual corruption.
It is true that some of the women vying for special seats in parliament are engaged in sexual corruption in order to win the seats, the participant said.
On his part, the legislator for Maswa Constituency on a ruling CCM ticket, John Shibuda, said there are people who are being used by political stooges to ruin some political parties in the country.
