Zanzibar Wants Union Constitution Overhauled

[Nyaturu]

Zanzibar Wants Union Constitution Overhauled

By The Guardian reporter, 13th August 2010

Justice minister Chikawe not ready to comment “on such a sensitive and delicate issue” on phone

Zanzibar said yesterday it wants Tanzania’s Constitution changed to accommodate the amendments made to its own by the Isles’ House of Representatives earlier this week.

Hamza Hassan Juma, Minister of State in the Zanzibar Chief Minister’s Office, said in an exclusive interview with this paper that some of the amendments were geared at finding lasting solutions to political disputes specific to the Isles and were not meant to breaking up the April 29, 1964 Union.

“Rather than seek to interfere with the Union Constitution, these constitutional transformations are intended to strengthen the Union between Zanzibar and Tanganyika,” he said.

He added: “We have amended our (Zanzibar) Constitution in a spirited bid to put things right, though in the future it will surely be necessary to overhaul the Union Constitution to be in line with the changes made to that of Zanzibar.”

Juma noted that sections 1and 2 of the Zanzibar Constitution, which referred to Zanzibar as part of the United Republic of Tanzania, has been expunged.

He said in the place of the two sections now lies a clause suggesting that Zanzibar is a fully fledged state whose territory will be the whole area covering Unguja and Pemba and all other surrounding islands and territorial waters – and before the 1964 Union making up the People’s Republic of Zanzibar.

He added that the House of Representatives also revised clause 61 (1) so as to empower the President of Zanzibar to appoint regional commissioners for the Isles without consulting the Union President, as has hitherto obtained.

Contacted for comment, Union Constitutional Affairs and Justice minister Mathias Chikawe said he was not in a position to comment on “such a sensitive and delicate matter” in a telephone interview.

“Do you want me to comment on such a sensitive and delicate issue on the phone? No way! You do not know me, and nor do I know you. Find time so that we meet to discuss that matter,” he said, and hung up.

A number of politicians and lawyers have said the amendments would likely lead to the conflicts between the mainlanders and Zanzibaris. Founding President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere once said were possible unless the country’s unity was consolidated by having the Constitution respected and defended.

United Democratic Party national chairman John Cheyo said the concept of reverting to and recognising Zanzibar pre-Union boundaries “will automatically kill the fact that Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania”.

Dr Edmund Sengondo Mvungi, a constitutional lawyer and long-serving lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, meanwhile bluntly stated that endorsing the amendments meant having two sovereign states within the Union structure.

But Civic United Front (CUF) secretary general Seif Shariff Hamad applauded the House of Representatives for “successfully fighting for amendments which have made it possible for Zanzibar to count and be recognised as a country within the Union”.

“The amendments are not meant to dismantle the Union. They are for the benefit of Zanzibar’s residents and future generations,” he told a rally at Unguja’s Mwembetanga grounds on Tuesday.

The constitutional changes also sought to pave the way for the formation of government of national unity (GNU) in Zanzibar, mainly involving the ruling CCM and the opposition CUF, after the October General Election.

The GNU’s birth would be the culmination of a long process partly made possible by a referendum held on July 31 this year following reconciliation initiated last November by Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume and the CUF secretary general.

The reconciliation was part of a strategy to bury political conflicts which emerged particularly in the wake of the 1995, 2000 and 2005 Zanzibar presidential elections, whose results in favour of CCM, the opposition always dismissed as awfully manipulated.

The referendum saw the GNU plan approved by 66.4 per cent of all voters in the Isles.

The hotly contested amendments to the Zanzibar Constitution were tabled by Ramadhan Abdallah Shaaban, Minister of State in the Zanzibar President’s Office (Constitutional Affairs and Good Governance), and unanimously endorsed by the House of Representatives on Monday. The controversial development drew mixed opinions, some Union ministers and Attorney General Frederick Werema requested for time “to reflect on the matter” before they could make any comments.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Kikwete aitishe kikao cha Bunge au ndio iwe jukumu la kwanza la kufanya kwa bunge jipya..

 

[MWANALUGALI]

What an irresponsible Minister for Justice? shame on you bwana Chikawe! to hell with you Attorney General! You all dont deserve to be our leaders. sijui Kikwete aliwatoa wapi?

 

[Mwawado]

Hii ni "wake up call"!.....Na kesho baada ya kubadilishwa Katiba Mama ya Muungano hawa Waungwana watakuja na Hoja nyingine ya kutaka Wizara yao ya Mambo ya Nje na KMKM liwe Jeshi la Ulinzi.Wapo wapi wasomi na Wanasheria?Hivi kikundi kidogo cha watu kwa ajili ya Maslahi yao Binafsi kinaweza kushinikiza kubadilishwa kwa Katiba?
Ninacholalamika hapa sio Zanzibar kutaka kufanya mambo yao kwa jinsi wanavyopenda wao.....Kinachoniuma ni kutokuwepo kwa Utawala wa sheria! Kama kuna kasoro zozote za Muungano na Katiba yake kuitishwe Mkutano wa Bunge la Jamuhuri na mapungufu ya Muungano yajadiliwe kwa Uwazi.

 

[Luteni]

Kwanza wanavunja katiba halafu baadaye wanatafuta justification ya uvunjaji, kweli tanzania tuna viongozi, in other words Tanzania is being forced to ammend its Union Constitution in order to accommodate Zanzibar Constitution, this is wonderful, nimeamini kweli kiatu hufuata shepu ya mguu.

 

[Kichuguu]

Sikiliza hapa:

[video]http://www.eastafricantube.com/media/15244/JKNyerere_pt1/3/[/video]

In fact kwa sasa hivi mimi siufagilii muungano huu tena kwa sababu umekuwa ni kero sana kutokana na manung'uniko yasiyoisha kutoka Zanzibar, na upendeleo wa wazi uliokuwa ukifanyika kwa watu wa Zanzibar. Unaweza kuangalia kuwa ukisoma na mwanafunzi wa kutoka zanzibar mkamaliza pamoja hapo UDSM na wewe ukiwa na GPA kubwa sana, utashangaa yeye atapewa madaraka makubwa serikalini kuliko wewe. Ninadhani kuvunja muungano kutatusaidia sana kujipanga upya na kujikumbusha utaifa wetu, na inaweza kutufanya wananchi tuwe wakali sana kwa viongozi wetu dhidi ya ufisadi.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

kwa sababu mabadiliko ya katiba ya Zanzibar hivi sasa hayana nguvu bila kukubalika na Bunge la Muungano; sasa Bunge la Muungano litatakiwa kuridhia au kukataa. Likikataa Zanzibar watasema nini?

 

[Mag3]

kwa sababu mabadiliko ya katiba ya Zanzibar hivi sasa hayana nguvu bila kukubalika na Bunge la Muungano; sasa Bunge la Muungano litatakiwa kuridhia au kukataa. Likikataa Zanzibar watasema nini?

Ndio maana mimi kwa hili simung'unyi maneno, hao wapuuzi waliokaa wakapitisha katiba ya Zanzibar ni wahaini per se. Wangeanza angalau na hili la kulitazama katiba ya Jamhuri kwanza, hapo labda wangeeleweka lakini kwa kitendo chao ambacho kwa lugha yoyote ile ni sawa na uvunjaji wa katiba ya Jamhuri wanatakiwa wasweke lupango na hapa hakuna cha utani. Na Raisi wa Jamhuri anayeshindwa kuitetea katiba aliyoapa kuilinda naye lazima ifike mahali awajibishwe na ikiwezekana ashtakiwe. Taratibu kama zikifuatwa Watanzania wengi tu huku bara nina hakika hawatakosa usingizi Muungano ukivunjika lakini hawako tayari kwa vitendo hivi vya kilevilevi vya wenzetu.

 

[Bulesi]

Hii ni "wake up call"!.....Na kesho baada ya kubadilishwa Katiba Mama ya Muungano hawa Waungwana watakuja na Hoja nyingine ya kutaka Wizara yao ya Mambo ya Nje na KMKM liwe Jeshi la Ulinzi.Wapo wapi wasomi na Wanasheria?Hivi kikundi kidogo cha watu kwa ajili ya Maslahi yao Binafsi kinaweza kushinikiza kubadilishwa kwa Katiba?
Ninacholalamika hapa sio Zanzibar kutaka kufanya mambo yao kwa jinsi wanavyopenda wao.....Kinachoniuma ni kutokuwepo kwa Utawala wa sheria! Kama kuna kasoro zozote za Muungano na Katiba yake kuitishwe Mkutano wa Bunge la Jamuhuri na mapungufu ya Muungano yajadiliwe kwa Uwazi.

Mtu yeyote anapochaguliwa kuwa Rais wa Tanzania, anakula viapo viwili kimoja kikiwa "Kulinda na Kuitetea katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania". Rais kikwete alikula kiapo hicho na sasa hawa wazanzibari wanaposema wamebadilisha katiba yao ili iwe nchi huru ndani ya muungano maanayake wanakwenda kinyume cha katiba ya Jamhuri na huo ni uhaini dhahili!! Sasa kama Kikwete atabaliki uhaini huu maana yake atakuwa hailindi wala kuitetea katiba iliyompa mamlaka ya kuwa Ras na yeye pia atakuwa mhaini!!

 

[Luteni]

kwa sababu mabadiliko ya katiba ya Zanzibar hivi sasa hayana nguvu bila kukubalika na Bunge la Muungano; sasa Bunge la Muungano litatakiwa kuridhia au kukataa. Likikataa Zanzibar watasema nini?

MKJJ

Tanzania bara na bunge la muungano halina gutz hizo na mifano iko mingi sana, hakuna mtu wa kusema NO mbele ya zanzibar kwa sasa, kina Werema na Chikawe hawa ni yes bwana ni majina ya vyeo tu hawana kitu chochote, wanafuata wanachoambiwa na bosi wao professional haipo tena, mbaya zaidi anayewaambia naye hajiamini chama kitamvunjikia.

 

[Nyaturu]

Hao viongozi visiwani wamesema wazi kabisa kwamba the Zanzibar constitution takes precedence over the Union constitition instead of being the other way around. It is a unilateral decision on their part; not a decison of the Union parliament. Raisi wa Muungano Kikwete anasemaje? What is he going to do? And what is the Union parliament going to do?

Muungano gani huu?

 

[Kichuguu]

kwa sababu mabadiliko ya katiba ya Zanzibar hivi sasa hayana nguvu bila kukubalika na Bunge la Muungano; sasa Bunge la Muungano litatakiwa kuridhia au kukataa. Likikataa Zanzibar watasema nini?

Maajabu ya mtu kuvaa kaptula kichwani na kofia miguuni.

Hao viongozi visiwani wamesema wazi kabisa kwamba the Zanzibar constitution takes precedence over the Union constitition instead of being the other way around. It is a unilateral decision on their part; not a decison of the Union parliament. Raisi wa Muungano Kikwete anasemaje? What is he going to do? And what is the Union parliament going to do?

Muungano gani huu?

Ndipo watanzania tutakapogundua kuwa uongozi wa nchi siyo lelemama. Afadhali sasa tungekuwa na mtu imara kama Salim, lakini kwe jinsi wapenda madaraka walivyochafua mwaka 2005, sijui kama hata kuwasadia kwenye mgogoro huu wa kikatiba.

Mtu yeyote anapochaguliwa kuwa Rais wa Tanzania, anakula viapo viwili kimoja kikiwa "Kulinda na Kuitetea katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania". Rais kikwete alikula kiapo hicho na sasa hawa wazanzibari wanaposema wamebadilisha katiba yao ili iwe nchi huru ndani ya muungano maanayake wanakwenda kinyume cha katiba ya Jamhuri na huo ni uhaini dhahili!! Sasa kama Kikwete atabaliki uhaini huu maana yake atakuwa hailindi wala kuitetea katiba iliyompa mamlaka ya kuwa Ras na yeye pia atakuwa mhaini!!

Hilo ndilo jambo ambalo Nyerere alilisistiza katika hotuba niliyoweka hapo juu.
Nimeisikiliza tena kwa makini ile hotuba ya Nyerere niliyoweka pale juu kutoka EATube nadhani alikuwa prophetic; ndiyo maana sishabikii muungano huu tena. Waache Wazenji waende zao na abongo tuanze upya kama Nyerere alivyotabiri. Baada ya kuvunjika huu Muungano, Zanzibar hawatakuwa na muungano wa kualaumu tena kama walivyozowea, kwa sababu ndiyo imekuwa scapegoat ya watawala wa Zanzibar kwa muda mrefu. Kutokana na kulemaa kwa lawama, watatafuta kitu kingine cha kulaumu ambacho kitakuwa ni baina yao wenyewe kwa wenyewe, probably on the road to another Somalia.

 

[MWANALUGALI]

Hivi Watanzania (siku bold Zan kwa makusudi ) hatuwezi ku petition Mwanasheria mkuu wa serikali na waziri wake wa sheria wakajiuzulu kwa jinsi ambavyo wame handle hili suala la Katiba hadi zanzibar wakafanya haya madudu?? siamini kuwa haya yanayotokea hayatokani na ufafanuzi ule usiokwenda shule aliotoa Rais Kikwete wakati akihitimisha msimamo wa Waziri mkuu aliotoa bungeni kuhusu znz kuwa nchi. Viongozi wa sasa wa nchi yetu wamelala na hawafai kabisa.
Kheri kumchagua Dk. Slaa ili hili liwekwe sawasawa.

 

[Luteni]

Mimi naona badala ya kuendelea kulaumu zanzibar wanafanya nini, Tanzania bara (Tanganyika) tuanze kujiandaa tutafanya nini endapo zanzibar itajitenga kitu ambacho ni obvious kinakuja, tusije kujikuta baada ya kutengana hatujui tuanzie wapi hata jila la nchi linaweza litusumbue kulipata.

Wenzetu wamejiandaa wanajua wanachotafuta sisi bado tumelala usingizi wa pono eti tunang'ang'ania muungano kaa kupe ukiondoka tunakosa damu. Sisi tutakapokuwa tunapanga tufanye nini wenzetu tayari watakuwa wameshapata godfather wao anachimba mafuta nk. tukicheza wanaweza kutuacha mbali kimaendeleo ikawa kwenda zanzibar ni kama unakwenda ulaya. Kwangu Muungano ni mzuri lakini kama unatufanya tusipate usingizi miaka nenda rudi hautufai.

 

[Mkandara]

Wakuu mnapoteza pumzi zenu bure kuhusiana na hawa jamaa zetu. Ndio yale ya mh. Mwinyi kuondoa dira ya Taifa, miiko na maadili ya Viongozi ambazo ndizo nguzo kisha akaendelea kudai hakuliua Azimio la Arusha. Wakati kilichotakiwa kwa ubora zaidi ilikuwa kuua Azimio la Arusha (serikali kumiliki njia za Uchumi) na kubakiza dira ya kitaifa inayowafunga viongozi na wananchi wake ktk miiko na maadili.

Kwa hiyo, msiwe na wasiwasi zaidi kwani nina hakika tumefika mahala njia panda. Wanajua fika kwamba JK ni kiongozi dhaifu na wanajaribu kutingisha kiberiti lakini sasa wamefika mahala ambapo watagota. Na ili haya maombi yao yakubalike ni lazima wakubali pia mapendekezo ya bara kama yafuatayo. Tanzania Costitution itafanyiwa mabadiliko waliyopendekeza ikiwa tu:-

1. Zitaundwa serikali za nchi tatu (Zanzibar na Bara) na ile ya Jamhuri (Tanzania) itaongozwa na chama kilichoshinda uchaguzi mkuu pasipo kujali viongozi wake wanatoka upande gani au dini gani. Kila serikali itawakilishwa na wajumbe wake ktk serikali kuu kulingana na idadi ya washindi wawakilishi ktk serikali za nchi husika.

2. Hakuna serikali ya mseto kwa sehemu moja ya nchi isipokuwa vyama vitaweza kuwa na serikali ya mseto ikiwa tu kuna tofauti ya asilimia 10 Kitaifa. Vyama vilivyoshinda ktk serikali mbili watashika madaraka ya nchi hizo chini ya mshindi wa serikali kuu (Taifa).
3. Kuondoa utaratibu wa uchaguzi wa winner takes all - Rais wa nchi atachaguliwa kutokana na ushindi wa chama ktk majimbo mengi (electral vote) kinyume cha Umaarufu wa kiongozi (Popular vote) anayegombea Urais.
4. National Identity ya kila Mtanzania itakuwa Mtanzania hakuna matumizi ya Uzanzibar au Ubara.

Wakiweza kukubali haya tupo tayari kuendelea na Muungano kinyume cha hapo wakubali kwamba Zanzibar huru ni ile iliyofuatia Mapinduzi ya mwaka 1964 hivyo Muungano uliowekwa mwaka 1964 utaenziwa kama ulivyo laa sivyo tuvunje Muungano na kila mmoja wetu ajikate kivyake kama walivyofanya Yugoslavia baada ya kifo cha Tito (Mjamaa).

Wakumbuke tu kwamba Yugoslavia ile exodus ya ku move watu kurudi makwao iliwaku chanzo cha Serbia kuvamia nchi nyingine kudai sehemu ya mipaka ya nchi hizo na tofauti za kiimani (dini) na makabila played a big role ktk kuzigawa nchi hizo kuliko uzawa wa wahusika.

Na inasemekana nchi zote hizo hakuna hata mojawapo imepiga hatua kimaendeleo isipokuwa zote zimerudi nyuma na kukosa nguvu waliyokuwa nayo Yugoslavia. Inasemekana kama Yugoslavia ingebakia vile ktk mfumo huu wa soko huria na Utandawazi pengine ingekuwa Taifa tajiri na lenye nguvu kuliko France...

 

[takashi]

Hii ni "wake up call"!.....Na kesho baada ya kubadilishwa Katiba Mama ya Muungano hawa Waungwana watakuja na Hoja nyingine ya kutaka Wizara yao ya Mambo ya Nje na KMKM liwe Jeshi la Ulinzi.Wapo wapi wasomi na Wanasheria?Hivi kikundi kidogo cha watu kwa ajili ya Maslahi yao Binafsi kinaweza kushinikiza kubadilishwa kwa Katiba?
Ninacholalamika hapa sio Zanzibar kutaka kufanya mambo yao kwa jinsi wanavyopenda wao.....Kinachoniuma ni kutokuwepo kwa Utawala wa sheria! Kama kuna kasoro zozote za Muungano na Katiba yake kuitishwe Mkutano wa Bunge la Jamuhuri na mapungufu ya Muungano yajadiliwe kwa Uwazi.

mkuu, hivi onovyosema ndio muda mrefu Zanzibar walikua wanapiga kelele kutaka marekebisho ya muungano...kero za muungano zitafutiwe ufumbuzi... lakini ,muda wote wamekua wakipuuzwa. sasa mimi si walaumu wazanzibari kwani so called ''desperate people do desperate things'' . sasa wakati umefika wa bunge lijalo kukaa na kujadili kero na marekebisho ya muungano...wazanzibari wako tayari kwa muungano wa serikali tatu, Tanganyika,Zanzibar na jamuhuri ya muungano.
bila ya serikali tatu mizizo haitamalizika, mwisho wake ni kuuvunja muungano kabisa... Zanzibar wanaonekana kuwa tayari kwa lolote.

 

[takashi]

Mimi naona badala ya kuendelea kulaumu zanzibar wanafanya nini, Tanzania bara (Tanganyika) tuanze kujiandaa tutafanya nini endapo zanzibar itajitenga kitu ambacho ni obvious kinakuja, tusije kujikuta baada ya kutengana hatujui tuanzie wapi hata jila la nchi linaweza litusumbue kulipata.

Wenzetu wamejiandaa wanajua wanachotafuta sisi bado tumelala usingizi wa pono eti tunang'ang'ania muungano kaa kupe ukiondoka tunakosa damu. Sisi tutakapokuwa tunapanga tufanye nini wenzetu tayari watakuwa wameshapata godfather wao anachimba mafuta nk. tukicheza wanaweza kutuacha mbali kimaendeleo ikawa kwenda zanzibar ni kama unakwenda ulaya. Kwangu Muungano ni mzuri lakini kama unatufanya tusipate usingizi miaka nenda rudi hautufai.

mkuu, umesema ukweli...mimi sina chakuongeza. tatizoletu sisi watanganyika tumelelewa na siasa za kasumba. tunaona kama kitu cha ajabu kama zanzibar wanataka kujitenga wakati ukweli wa mambo kila kwenye muungano wa aina yoyote ile kuvunjika kupo (possible) na hasa huu muungano wetu ulikua wa kidikteta... wapinzani wa muungano waliuwawa kimya kimya. sasa dunia ya sasa yale mambo hayana tena nafasi katika jamii... ndio unaona sasa kelele za malalamiko zimekua nyingi...

 

[takashi]

kwa sababu mabadiliko ya katiba ya Zanzibar hivi sasa hayana nguvu bila kukubalika na Bunge la Muungano; sasa Bunge la Muungano litatakiwa kuridhia au kukataa. Likikataa Zanzibar watasema nini?

zanzibar wako tayari kwa lolote . wanachotaka ni serikali tatu,Tanganyika ,Zanzibar na Muungano. Kuendelea kama hivi sasa ni kukaribisha matatizo zaidi. Sauli linakuja hapa ,Je Tanganyika wako tayari kuwa na serikali yao? bila ya hivyo Muungano hauna tena maisha.

 

[Jasusi]

Hivi Zanzibar ina majimbo mangapi? Na kila jimbo lina wilaya ngapi? Na kila wilaya ina watu wangapi? Nauliza kwa sababu naona kuna mahali
wanasema rais wa Zanzibar awe na mamlaka ya kuteua Regional Commissioners bila kushauriana na serikali ya Mwungano. Pandora's box is now open.

 

[Tindikali]

... Tanzania bara (Tanganyika) tuanze kujiandaa tutafanya nini endapo zanzibar itajitenga kitu ambacho ni obvious kinakuja, tusije kujikuta baada ya kutengana hatujui tuanzie wapi ...

Kwani sasa hivi tunapata nini kutoka Zanzibar ambacho kesho asubuhi tukikuta wameondoka tutakikosa?