New Katiba key agenda for opposition

Dar es Salaam. Key opposition parties have expressed their determination to push demanding the writing of a new constitution this year in the belief that the document was the only guarantee to a better future for Tanzanians.

In his New Year message letter sent to the media yesterday, ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe said 2021 was a year of great tests but they are thankful the nation sailed through safely.

“We hope that 2022 will be a year of national reconciliation that will achieve the success of finding an Independent Electoral Commission that will facilitate the achievement of a new Constitution acceptable to all,” he said in a statement.

He said, however, that as a party they will use 2022 to strengthen the party in villages, wards and regions.

“We will launch #ACTKiganjani: A digital system for registering members and enabling members to raise various issues in their areas for use by senior officials,” he noted.

For his part, Chadema vice-chairman Tundu Lissu said 2022 would be the start of a new movement to demand a new constitution whose process was stalled.

He said via an online address that party’s Central Committee met digitally on December 28, 2021 with the aim of deliberating various issues and setting the party’s agenda one of which was continued demand for a people’s new constitution.

He said they evaluated the country’s history since the return of the multi-party political system in 1992, especially 30 years after Judge Nyalali’s commission proposed the drafting of a new constitution.

“The current Katiba will not solve our problems with the administrative and political system,” he noted.

Mr Lissu said that despite the decision of the Political Party Council to saying that only a few things would be worked out in the current constitution, “we Chadema will not betray Tanzanians by participating in such a process.”

“We call for the re-introduction of a people’s constitutional process that will unite the forces of political parties, various social groups, religious institutions, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations that support the demands of the new constitution,” he said.

Mr Lissu said the party has also resolved that its key leaders currently on asylum overseas would return to the country to continue with party work and pushing for the writing of a new constitution.

He noted that the Central Committee discussed in detail his state of affairs and that of former Arusha Urban lawmaker Godbless Lema and resolved that they return home between March and April 2022.

“The committee decided to make all the arrangements for our return and the exact date of our return will be announced after the preparations are completed,” said Lissu.