Independent candidates in Tanzania's forth coming presidential and parliamentary elections have no chance to take part in the polls, the government has said.
While speakers at public hearing sessions on proposed amendments to the country's electoral law have been demanding an opening for self-supporting candidates, the government claims it will require more time to take the issue on board.
The government has no problem with private candidates, but changing the constitution is a long process, and that requires more time before the elections,' said Minister Philip Marmo who is responsible for Policy Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs in the Prime Minister's Office.
Tanzanian voters are due to vote in October, 2010, to pick members of parliament and the country's president for the next five-year term in accordance with constitutional requirements.
Under the Constitution, every Tanzanian has the right to elect leaders and to be elected' and advocates of private candidacy have been invoking this clause to make their case.
Marmo referred to a case whereby the High Court of Tanzania had ruled in favour of private candidacy but the Attorney General reacted with a notice to the Court of Appeal to get clarification on the matter, querying whether the Court had mandate to infringe upon the Constitution which prohibits private candidates.
We are still waiting for the verdict by the Court of Appeal,' the minister said, noting that even if the Court of Appeal decided in favour of private candidacy, time was not enough to make the necessary amendment to the Constitution before election time.
The current parliament is due for dissolution after passing the Government Budget for 2010/2011 about three months ahead of the polls.
However, Marmo told a public hearing session here that with time and depending on the political environment, the constitution could be changed to give room to private candidates seeking electoral positions because the practice was common in many countries.
The minister clarified that the proposed amendments target Chapter 343 of the Electoral Act 2009 and Chapter 292 of the Local Government Electoral Act.
One of the changes sought to be made is that when a presidential candidate or running mate dies, their party would be given 14 days instead of 21 days to appoint another candidate.
PANA: 22 Jan 2010