Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, January 09,2023.
Stakeholders ponder on the review of the Tanzania foreign policy
During a gathering organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation at the Julius Nyerere Conference in Dar es Salaam, members of the public engaged in discussions on the anticipated new foreign policy.
One of the highlights of the discussion is the debate on the necessity for Tanzania to strike a balance between its moral obligations and its existing diplomatic approach, which emphasizes on economic diplomacy.
“Aside from pursuing economic diplomacy, there are principal issues that we must cherish as a nation. This includes the moral foundation set by our founding father Mwalimu Nyerere on Tanzania’s obligation to stand for justice”, argued Professor Lipumba who serves as the Chairperson of Civic United Front (CUF) party.
The issue was also echoed by other participants, Salim Matimbwa, the Chairperson of the Dar es Salaam Elders Council argued that Tanzania’s foreign policy has ‘lost direction’.
“There are many issues that are happening globally, I don’t hear Tanzania’s position,” said Matimbwa. “There is an ongoing war in the Middle East, you can’t see Tanzania’s position, are we afraid because of receiving aid, I don’t know,” added Matimbwa.
“Our country was at the forefront of fighting for human rights, where is our voice in the United Nations,” said Sherali Hussein Sherali, representing the Council of Answar Sunnah Institutions in Tanzania.
“Today, Tanzania walks with killers, people who murder and torment others based on their skin colors, if Nyerere was alive, we wouldn’t have our envoy in Israel today,” emphasized Sherali.
Stakeholders also identify the promotion of the Kiswahili language as one of the areas that Tanzania should invest in its foreign policy initiative, citing its ability for soft power and employment opportunities.
“In Italy, Tanzania teaches Kiswahili in four universities and there are more opportunities. Unfortunately, efforts to promote Kiswahili have been hampered by low cooperation from institutions in the country,” argued Anastazia Rubangura, a Central Committee Member of Tanzania Diaspora Community.
Members of the diaspora communities also pushed for the realization of the commitments made by the government such as in recognition of Tanzania nationals who have taken citizenship of other countries.
“Special status is currently under the pipeline, I think it won’t be effective if there is no comprehensive policy on diaspora, said Emmanuel Mwachullah, founder of the Tanzania Diaspora Initiative.
Tanzania is currently developing a special status recognition for the diaspora community who have citizenship in other countries. The government has argued that this would make it easier for diaspora communities to own properties in the country, inherit or pass inheritance as well as other rights.
Other issues discussed include enabling Tanzanians to invest outside, and curving foreign policy to attract more investment. Stakeholders also recommended that Tanzania should start allowing the diaspora to vote during elections through Tanzania embassies abroad.
Civil society, religious leaders, and political parties commented on election bills
Public hearings on thethe National Electoral Commission Bill, the Presidential, Parliamentarians, and Councilors Election Bill, as well as the Political Affairs Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 continued in parliament yesterday with submissions from political parties and religious leaders.
On January 8, 2023, a group of non-governmental organizations including the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), JUKATA, Twaweza, Legal Service Facility, Centre for Strategic Litigation (CSL), and Jamii Forum submitted their proposals before the parliament committee.
Key issues submitted by the group include the use of technology. In this regard, the group emphasized that there isn’t enough emphasis on ensuring the adequate application of technology in the election process. The group recommends the adoption of technology in all stages of the elections.
The group also suggests that election bodies should employ their own staff instead of borrowing staff, as is currently being done.
On the other end, the Catholic Bishop Conference started their submission with an explanation of why they had decided to appear before the parliament committee.
“We were shocked with how the 2019 and 2020 elections were conducted by the National Electoral Commission which led to the backtracking of progress attained and resulted in low voter turnout,” said Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi of Dar-es-Salaam Archdiocese.
Ruwa’ichi provided an example of the “discriminatory disqualification” of the candidate as one of the cases that saddened the Bishop and pushed them to appear before the committee.
Among other things, the bishops pointed out that setting returning officers for only public servants is discriminatory and unconstitutional, and also recommended for an independent body to appoint members of the electoral commission instead of the President, and proposed a separate budget for the national election.
Political parties also issued several recommendations. The ruling Party CCM, among other things, proposed that the electoral commission should have a special directorate for civic education within its structure to counter the trend of declining turnout during elections.
NCCR recommended that the National Electoral Commission should have its staff from lower levels to the national level, and proposed that the practice of the President appointing the commission chair should be revisited.
At least 25 people were hospitalized in Shinyanga, Mwanza, and Simiyu following Cholera outbreak
Outbreaks of cholera have been confirmed in Mwanza, Shinyanga, and Simiyu. In Shinyanga, 18 cases of cholera were confirmed following a report of acute dysentery in the Kagongwa ward on December 28, 2023, resulting in the death of five people.
In her report yesterday, Christina Mdeme, the Regional Commissioner of Shinyanga said that they are conducting a regional-wide monitoring, “following the deaths of five people, the region formed units of health experts in every council to contain the outbreak,” said Christina Mndeme, the Regional Commissioner of Shinyanga.
“We have had a total of 41 patients since this outbreak started on December 28, 2023, with 18 confirmed cases of cholera,” added Mdeme.
In Mwanza, seven cases of cholera were confirmed, including two cases from Kakebe, two from Mkolani, and three from Ilemela.
“In tracing the cases, two people confirmed they were coming from a funeral procession in Simiyu. However, we have already released them, and we remain with five patients”, said Priva Sebastian Medical Officer of Mwanza.
To contain the outbreak, the three regions have implemented various initiatives. In Simiyu, the government has halted the sale of food in all markets, local auctions, and schools. Additionally, the government has banned the sale of local brew and cooking of food in all public gatherings.
In Mwanza and Shinyanga, public awareness campaigns have commenced, along with efforts to trace cases in the regions.
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2 responses
Hello, i think most of Tanzanian Politian’s they started politics without knowing their rights the meaning of electoral commission, perhaps the ruling party ccm will never accept to have free electoral commission because once they accept will loose power same year, the big mistakes done in Tanzania is ruling a party postponing the decisions in which has been made many years ago to form free electoral commission, now the issue is a deal of getting money by having every year opinion polls due free electoral commission, everything is known, why people needs electoral commission but discussing what if is not miss using of public funds?