Kiwi
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 30, 2009
- 1,054
- 990
Though Tanzanians are scheduled to hold a referendum on the new Constitution sometime next year, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has said it is not certain if the Permanent National Voter Register (PNVR) will be updated to allow the democratic exercise to take place.
The uncertainty is based on the fact that Tanzanians have less than four months to hold the referendum.
According to NEC, the time left is not enough to update the register and hence many Tanzanians who turned 18 years since 2010 will be denied their basic voting right.
NEC Chairman Justice Damian Lubuva told a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday that it will be very difficult to update the voter register in the remaining months.
Asked why NEC did not embark on the exercise earlier, the chairman said The National Election Act 2010 demands that NEC updates the register shortly before the General Election and does not consider emergency cases like the referendum.
"The country is very big. To update all the records - that were last updated in 2010 - is not easy when you also take into consideration the time factor. Also, the law demands that information updates be done shortly before the elections, but the issue of the referendum is an emergency," Justice Lubuva said.
After the 2005 General Election, the National Electoral Commission updated the PNVR twice in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010.
The referendum is expected to take place sometime after the Constituent Assembly convenes in January 2014, for a period of 70 days.
Updating of the register is done to allow new eligible voters, particularly those who have attained the minimum voting age of 18 years and to remove from the register voters who are dead or are no longer eligible according to the law.
However, the chairman noted that the Commission is looking for ways in which the referendum can be conducted successfully.
"We are looking into alternatives to ensure the referendum is held successfully … some few days to come we shall inform you of the outcome," he noted.
Lubuva, however, stressed that the Commission will ensure that before the 2015 General Election, the register is updated to enable the eligible voters to enjoy their democratic right.
Asked whether NEC has already received funds for updating the register, Justice Lubuva said his office is yet to receive any money from the government.
Earlier, the NEC Chairman refuted recent media reports that the electoral commission was not independent. He said he has been receiving a lot of queries from various stakeholders on the autonomy of the Commission and insisted that NEC has been performing its duties independently and according to the laws.
According to him, if stakeholders want changes in the organization of the commission to be effected, his office would be ready to receive the proposals.
"If people need changes of the procedure used to appoint the Commission then they should put up proposals; but the appointing authority "the President" must be there," he advised.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
My take:
Hii ni njia ya kuwanyima watu wengi haki yao ya kimsingi. Ni njia iliyoandaliwa na walio madarakani kuhakikisha ya kuwa vijana wengi hawatapata nafasi ya kushiriki kwenye zoezi hilo muhimu katika kupata katiba mpya itakayokuwa na manufaa kwao na kwa vizazi vijavyo.
The uncertainty is based on the fact that Tanzanians have less than four months to hold the referendum.
According to NEC, the time left is not enough to update the register and hence many Tanzanians who turned 18 years since 2010 will be denied their basic voting right.
NEC Chairman Justice Damian Lubuva told a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday that it will be very difficult to update the voter register in the remaining months.
Asked why NEC did not embark on the exercise earlier, the chairman said The National Election Act 2010 demands that NEC updates the register shortly before the General Election and does not consider emergency cases like the referendum.
"The country is very big. To update all the records - that were last updated in 2010 - is not easy when you also take into consideration the time factor. Also, the law demands that information updates be done shortly before the elections, but the issue of the referendum is an emergency," Justice Lubuva said.
After the 2005 General Election, the National Electoral Commission updated the PNVR twice in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010.
The referendum is expected to take place sometime after the Constituent Assembly convenes in January 2014, for a period of 70 days.
Updating of the register is done to allow new eligible voters, particularly those who have attained the minimum voting age of 18 years and to remove from the register voters who are dead or are no longer eligible according to the law.
However, the chairman noted that the Commission is looking for ways in which the referendum can be conducted successfully.
"We are looking into alternatives to ensure the referendum is held successfully … some few days to come we shall inform you of the outcome," he noted.
Lubuva, however, stressed that the Commission will ensure that before the 2015 General Election, the register is updated to enable the eligible voters to enjoy their democratic right.
Asked whether NEC has already received funds for updating the register, Justice Lubuva said his office is yet to receive any money from the government.
Earlier, the NEC Chairman refuted recent media reports that the electoral commission was not independent. He said he has been receiving a lot of queries from various stakeholders on the autonomy of the Commission and insisted that NEC has been performing its duties independently and according to the laws.
According to him, if stakeholders want changes in the organization of the commission to be effected, his office would be ready to receive the proposals.
"If people need changes of the procedure used to appoint the Commission then they should put up proposals; but the appointing authority "the President" must be there," he advised.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
My take:
Hii ni njia ya kuwanyima watu wengi haki yao ya kimsingi. Ni njia iliyoandaliwa na walio madarakani kuhakikisha ya kuwa vijana wengi hawatapata nafasi ya kushiriki kwenye zoezi hilo muhimu katika kupata katiba mpya itakayokuwa na manufaa kwao na kwa vizazi vijavyo.
