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By JOSEPH MWAMUNYANGE Special Correspondent
Posted Saturday, January 4 2014 at 16:13
IN SUMMARY
- Njelu Kasaka, who led the group in 1993 said the review commission report underscores some of the groups recommendations on separate governments in the Union.
A member of the G55, a group of Tanzanian MPs who fell out with the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) some 20 years ago over its advocacy of a three-tier government for the Union, has supported recent report by the Constitutional Review Commission.
Njelu Kasaka, who led the group in 1993 said the review commission report underscores some of the groups recommendations on separate governments in the Union.
He said his group had recommended separate governments Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland, formerly Tanganyika, and an overall Union government.
The only difference is that the current draft gives the two governments more autonomy than we had suggested because G55 were of the opinion that we needed a president with more powers for the United Republic of Tanzania, said Mr Kasaka.
However, this time round, the proposals in the draft want the two governments of Zanzibar and Tanganyika to have other powers vested in their leadership. What I believed and still hold on to is that this would weaken the presidency. The other danger I see is the fact that unless there are mechanisms to rein in those who act contrary to the Constitution, the proposed system would lead to the collapse of the Union," said Mr Kasaka.
He warned that unless there is a Supremacy Clause in the proposed constitution, the union could break up. Under the current Constitution, the Union government is also the government of the Tanzania Mainland. The demand for three separate governments was first raised by former Zanzibar president Aboud Jumbe.
After being forced to resign in 1984, Mr Jumbe wrote a book titled, The Partnership; Tanganyika-Zanzibar Union: 30 Turbulent Years.
The issue resurfaced in 1992 under the G55 initiative whose members were Mr Kasaka, former Cabinet minister Tabitha Siwale, former MPs Maria Kahm, Edith Munuo, Mateo Quaresi, Arcado Ntangazwa, Sebastian Kinyondo, Charles Kagonji, Jared Gachocha, Paschal Degera, Philip Marmo and Saidi Kawayawaya. Other members have since passed on.
I presented this private motion to the deputy speaker, Pius Msekwa who was the temporary speaker because then speaker Adam Sapi was sick. The motion carried the signatures of 55 MPs.
Our argument was that since the islanders were seeking a sovereign entity, we should reclaim Tanganyika because the Zanzibaris were behaving like they were not part of the republic. The second issue was the claim by Zanzibaris that Tanganyika had changed to call itself Tanzania so as to undermine the aspirations of the islanders in all spheres of life, said Mr Kasaka.
Mr Kasaka said the Zanzibar government had always refused to contribute to the running of the Union government, arguing that it could still do the same when the new constitution is passed.
He added: Even on appointments, it is very difficult or next to impossible to appoint someone from the Mainland to work in Zanzibar but, for them to work on the Mainland is no big deal.
The Constitutional Review Commission recently presented President Jakaya Kikwete its final draft to be taken to the Constituent Assembly for further discussion.
