Provisions on errant MPs likely to go

Inevitable · 2014-09-05T09:11:21+00:00

People who banked on a proposal contained in the Second Draft Constitution prepared by the dissolved Constitution Review Commission (CRC) as a guarantee to discipline errant MPs should start forgetting it as lawmakers are determined to overturn all provisions seeking to make them accountable. Proposals tabled by the Constituent Assembly (CA) Committee Number Ten yesterday dropped almost all provisions in the Draft Constitution, which aimed to make MPs accountable. The committee has asked the Constituent Assembly to think of overturning the proposal giving the people powers to remove their under performing MPs as well as scraping term limits suggested by the CRC, which was chaired by former Prime Minister, Judge Joseph Warioba. The Committee has also asked the CA not to accept education standards proposed by the Warioba Commission and suggested, instead that a person should qualify to be elected an MP if he or she knows how to read and write. The Committee tabled its report after debating chapters Nine and Ten of the Second Draft. The team's chairman, Dr Peter Kafumu, told the House that conditions attached to the said Articles on disciplining MPs were ‘uncalled for'. He said that most of his committee members strongly opposed Article 129 of the Second Draft, which gives constituents the right to remove their MPs when they under perform. Dr Kafumu said many members in his committee were of the view that if Article 129 of the new Mother Law is endorsed, it will lead to chaos in society as some people might abuse it. "We want Article 129 of the Draft Constitution to be dropped because constituents might be used by powerful individuals who lose in the election to unseat the winner of a particular election (without due reasons)," argued Dr Kafumu. He added that if the Article was adopted, it might be used by some wealthy politicians to sabotage the work of the incumbent MP so that people can see him as underperforming and thus call for his removal. The committee also opposed Article 125 (1b) which says in order for one to be elected an MP, he or she should attain Form Four level of education. Dr Kafumu said his committee had the view that an MP should not lose his or her status due to failure to discharge his or her duties for six consecutive months for illness or being detained. According to Dr Kafumu, the committee also wants Article 124 (4) amended to allow a by-election to be held if a parliamentary seat is vacated due to death or any other reason. The Second Draft Constitution rules out the prospect of holding a by-election if a candidate supported by a political party loses credibility to serve as MP. Source: The citizen http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Provisions-on-errant-MPs-likely-to-go/-/1840340/2441808/-/item/0/-/qg83hkz/-/index.html

Thread starter Inevitable
Start date Sep 5, 2014

Inevitable

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Provisions on errant MPs likely to go

Inevitable

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