Nyerere Foundation backs Ukawa stance

“The people must be thoroughly educated and sensitised so that they will be in a position to make informed decisions” MR JOSEPH BUTIKU, MWALIMU NYERERE FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN

Musoma. The Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation has come out in support of the decision by the Coalition of Defenders of the People’s Constitution (Ukawa) to boycott the referendum on the Proposed Constitution.

The foundation’s chairman, Mr Joseph Butiku, said during a sensitisation forum organised by the organisation that Ukawa was right because the constitution-making process was  hijacked and rushed by politicians driven by narrow interests, adding that the Proposed Constitution did not reflect the broader wishes of the people.

“The people must be thoroughly educated and sensitised so that they will be in a position to make informed decisions,” he said on Saturday.

Mr Butiku said there was no need to rush the process, warning that this could result in the endorsement of a constitution that would favour a certain political party instead of serving all Tanzanians equally.

Ukawa, which brings together four opposition parties, announced in Dar es Salaam on Friday that the coalition would not take part in the referendum provisionally scheduled for April 30, and would conduct a nationwide campaign to convince voters to boycott the ballot.

A member of the now-disbanded Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), Prof Mwesiga Baregu, told the forum in Musoma that the only way to deny the referendum legitimacy was for voters to boycott it.

“If people go out and vote, there is nothing that will stop the government, which used the Constituent Assembly to radically alter the Draft Constitution, to manipulate the results,” he said.

Prof Baregu added that it was not possible for a country like Tanzania to conduct a referendum on the constitution and general election a few months apart, and said the vote on the Proposed Constitution should be postponed.

“How can more than 20 million voters be registered within 60 days and be expected to take part in such an important exercise in the history of our nation almost immediately after the registration?” he asked.

Another former CRC member, Mr Humphrey Polepole, said the Constitution belonged to Tanzanians, who should be given ample time to go through the Proposed Constitution and decide whether their views which were collected by the commission had been incorporated in the document passed by the Constituent Assembly (CA) last September.

Unless this was done, he added, voters would essentially be voting on a document they know little or nothing about.

Mr Polepole said Tanzanians wanted an inclusive constitution that does not favour a section of society and one that would guarantee their long-term future.

“The problem is that the Proposed Constitution does not contain people’s views that were collected by the CRC on crucial issues such as national values and code of conduct for public office holders,” he said.

Some Musoma residents who attended the forum said Tanzanians must be fully involved in the review process for it to be legitimate.

Ms Ghati Marwa said Tanzanians should not wait for others to decide on their behalf, especially in important matters such as the constitution-making process.

“It is important that we have a constitution that reflects what the people proposed during their meetings with the CRC,” she said, adding that voters need to know exactly what the Proposed Constitution contained before deciding whether to participate in the referendum and how they would vote.

The forum at the Musoma Municipal Council hall was held under tight security, apparently to prevent a repeat of ugly scenes witnessed at previous gatherings in Dar es Salaam.

In Dar es Salaam, various commentators said there was a need for the government to reach a consensus with Ukawa ahead of the referendum.

Prof Chris Maina of the University of Dar es Salaam said the new constitution could lack legitimacy if Ukawa maintained their stance.

“It’s obvious that Ukawa has many followers.  The government should not ignore them...there must be consensus if we hope to have a legitimate constitution,” he said.

Prof Gaudence Mpangala of the Ruaha University College said nobody could blame Ukawa after what happened in the CA last year.

“It was obvious Ukawa was not going to participate in the process after  walking out of the Constituent Assembly,” he said.

Dar es Salaam Regional Sheikh Alhad Mussa Salum said there could be no solution without talks.

He said Ukawa’s stance was a serious threat to the  referendum, adding that  concerted efforts should be made to resolve the matter.