Tanzanian Muslims Support Call for New Constitution

IslamToday / Agencies
Sat, 12/25/2010

The muslim community has supported the move to have a new constitution and it is preparing a proposal on the muslim priorities to be included and the issues to be excluded in the new law.

The proposal will then be presented to relevant state authorities in the next 30 days followed by countrywide civic education to be provided by a central political committee of the Muslim Leadership Forum.

According to the Press Statement signed by secretary of the Muslim Organisations and Institutions of Tanzania Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda, the muslims were supporting the emerging efforts from individuals, social and pressure groups and other religious groups to push for the new law document.

"The Muslims believe that this is a serious issue which needs to include all social groups in its formation to make sure that their rights are protected", reads part of the statement.

Although the main purpose of the proposal is to present muslim concerns in the new country laws, sheikh Ponda allows all other individuals who have issues related to the draft present their suggestions to muslim leaders in order to be included "for the better future of the country".

Lats week, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda promised to advise the president on the public concerns about constitution and see the possibility to make some amendments.

"As Prime Minister, I am ready to take the initiative to advise the president on the formation of the team to look into the modalities of having a new constitution," he said

Some representatives of opposition political parties and lawyers in the country said the announcement by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda that he would advise the president to form a committee to look into the modalities of constitutional changes was a political gimmick aimed at buying time.

Civic United Front (CUF) national chairman Professor Ibrahim Lipumba said he did not think the PM was serious, adding that if he, was he would have mentioned dates when he would advise the government.