Dodoma/Dar es Salaam. Hostilities that have
clouded the Constitution review process intensified as the divided
Constituent Assembly (CA) resumed business in Dodoma yesterday.
CA chair Samuel Sitta threw barbs at the former
commissioners of the Judge (rtd) Joseph Warioba-led Constitutional
Review Commission (CRC), falling short of labelling them “meddlers”.
Mr Sitta also took issue with the media, asking
the government to investigate what he viewed as a “more than meets the
eye” role of the Fourth Estate which has been availing ample platform
for raging Katiba debates.
“Some media always invite some people to distort
public opinion on issues related to CA. I think it is high time Fenella
Mukangara (Information minister) intervened to see what is going on,”
said the CA chair.
He did not name any media house, but it was
apparent Mr Sitta was referring to the hard hitting debate on Tuesday
aired by ITV, in which Judge Warioba led four other CRC commissioners to
tear into efforts by politicians to overturn the Second Draft
Constitution.
Mr Sitta aired his sentiments at the start of the
second phase of the Katiba Assembly that remains steeped in controversy
following a boycott by a CA grouping calling itself Defenders of the
People’s Constitution (Ukawa).
Ukawa enjoys significant public following,
championed by the main opposition parties namely Chadema, CUF and
NCCR-Mageuzi.
The group distanced itself from the CA since last
April following a bitter fallout with the majority CCM camp over the
proposed three-government Union structure. CCM camp is for a
two-government Union.
Yesterday, as Mr Sitta wondered about the CRC
right to question the CA mandate, Judge Warioba separately told The
Citizen he was dismayed that the assembly continued to ignore the voice
of wisdom to steer the process to its fruitful conclusion.
He said the CA meeting would amount to sheer
waste of public funds if Members of the Constituent Assembly (MCAs) did
not first seek political consensus to end their standoff. He also said
without settling the stalemate, the CA risked running into a dead end
over quorum.
“I think the political leadership in the country
should concentrate in reaching a consensus rather than being obsessed
with the CA numbers; we will be in deep trouble if we draft a divisive
Constitution which will be opposed shortly after being promulgated,’
warned Judge Warioba.
The quorum issue was later raised in the House
during debate of the revised CA standing orders by deputy minister for
Finance, Mr Mwigula Nchemba, who urged Mr Sitta to ascertain if the
number of MCAs present would meet the quorum to pass the Draft
Constitution.
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