Kikwete has a point but here is a counterpoint

[Companero]

"We don't need JK's Commission! It will disturb the process by being malicious to the process in favour of the ruling party.

...we need first of all to amend the current Constitution especially article 98. The amendment that shall allow formation of an independent commitee not emanating from JK or any president thereto. This commission shoul include representatives from all walks of life ranging from ordinary citizens, religious leaders, CSOs, politicians and political parties, legal experts etc in our country that will collect the views of the people...it is not possible to suspend a constitution in any society if there is no revolution by mass or military coup de tat.

In peaceful mood as in Tanzania we cannot suspend the current constitution...mind you to suspend a current constitution in absence of military coup de tat or mass revolution like the ones in Egypt, Tunisia or elsewhere amount to treason which is one of the capital offences in our law. Even JK HAS NO POWER legally to suspend a constitution because he was sworn in to defend it no matter how bad it is...." - A Young Tanzanian Lawyer in a Constitutional Debate, March 2011

UDADISI: Rethinking in Action: KIKWETE HAS A POINT BUT HERE IS A COUNTERPOINT

 

[jigoku]

Drastically i critisize the president has got no point regarding the consititution issue,i dont see even a single good will and an element from the recent speech provoked.

 

[kupelwa]

mdau hakuna dhamira ya dhati ya kuandika katiba ya wananchi bali jk alikubali li iandikwe kwa masilahi yake na jamaa zake; pia chama chake..hapa ni maadamano tu ndo itakuwa njia sahihi. hakuna katiba ya rais ;katiba ni wananchi.haiwezekani kila kitu ateue rais ,tume, bunge la katiba, kutoa pesa za uendeshaji na pia referundum itaendeshwa na tume gani si hii tume ya uchaguzi inayolalamikiwa kila siku ,hapa hakuna kuandika katiba bali kinachotayarishwa ni* ccm iendlee kutawala milele,.nasikitika sana.watanzania wasitishwe na kauli za JK bali wadai katiba huru

 

[Kasesela]

In my opinion the President anchored his contribution on the legality of the process as provided for in the current moribund constitution, and as practised by his predecessors. The contention which the President and his supporters fail to comprehend is that the current constitution robbed Tanzanians their right to be the source of legitimacy for being governed, the parliament is emasculated thus failing to be the Tanzanian watchdog nor providing embrocation for the milliard problems they face. In any case as pointed out by the Head of State, the bill has been altered beyond recognition which makes sense the necessity to returning it to the people through first reading. Being legal does not mean being right, the process as driven by the executive is legal but not right. The Constitution is so important that the participation by people fron inception is critica. In a country where single party mind set is supreme, Presidents are used to use power with impunity, the Ikulu cannot be trusted to drive the change the constitution process.