Tuesday, January 3, 2012
By
Brandy Nelson
The Citizen Correspondent
The Citizen Correspondent
Several Mbeya City
residents have proposed the formation of a three government Union structure to
resolve problems rocking the 1964 merger between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.At
issue presently, is the Zanzibar status in the Union and the demand for the
government of Tanganyika, both considered as thorny issues in the Union,
participants to a symposium here observed on over the weekend.
The symposium on the new
Constitution was organized by a network of Mbeya non governmental organisations
held at the Benjamin Mkapa Hall.“The current structure makes the Union look
lopsided as Zanzibar retains powers to do many things,” observed Mr Daniel Mwankemwa,
a resident of Forest suburb.
Mr Mwankemwa further
stated that with regards to land ownership, Zanzibaris access this key resource
on the mainland, but it is very difficult for the mainlanders to own land in
Zanzibar. “On the political front, Zanzibar has its own legislature, the House
of Representatives, in which no mainlander is allowed to sit. But there are MPs
from Zanzibar in the Union Parliament,” noted another resident, Mr Dickson
Mwakifuna
He said the new
Constitution should allow for the formation of a three-tier government to bring
equilibrium to the Union.“Although some people have used technical words to
describe, Zanzibar as a fully fledged nation with powers to run its affairs
independently without consulting the Union government,” he said. Another
resident, Mr Lucas John, wondered if Tanzania was a legal entity.
“We recently celebrated
50 years of Tanzania mainland independence... I have not seen or heard
celebrations of the event held nationwide. This makes people wonder if Tanzania
is indeed a country,” he said.
For his party, Ms Sara
Mwamfupe, supported the formation of the Tanganyika government which should
negotiate with Zanzibar to form a Federal government.
SOURCE: The Citizen
1 comment:
1.
I would like to challenge if any of the problems facing tza now is associated in any way with either union or Zanzibaris as Chadema has been compaigning.
If the country has been crippled by massive corruption as that of RICHMOND, EPA, RADER and others, non of the Zanzibaris was ever mentioned in that greft.
Either, the power shortage, faulty contracts in the mining and many sectors alike have got nothing to do with the union or Zanzibaris.
Mr. Mwankemwa has claimed that Zanzibaris have big access to land ownrship in the mainland but has failed to cite any Zanzibari who own that big land.
Considering the geographical location of Mbeya and origins of it's inhabitants, people there know very little about Zanzibar and It's people. It is evident that Chadema have gone all the way long to feed them with false information that could demonise Zanzibaris!
To Chadema every Tanzanian with lite
complexion and fair hair or a Muslim is a Zanzibari wether Indian, Arab or Somali.
In light to the above, I would to remind my fellow Tanzanians and Zanzibaris at large, these wrong claims against innocent people are not the ones to ignore.
anything possible should be done in cooperation with the Govt. to stop this faulse compign once and for all!