{{Tanzania’s Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) Monday unveiled the first draft mother law, which proposes a radical change in the structure of the union.}}
The commission has proposed a federal union comprised of three governments, CRC chairman Joseph Warioba said at the launch in Dar es Salaam.
The retired judge said the decision came after consideration of all views on the contentious union issue. This would essentially take the country back to the Tanganyika government that ceased to exist when the United Republic of Tanzania was formed on April 26, 1964.
In the new scheme of things, the Tanganyika government would have its own President, parliament and other organs.
The union government would be leaner, with about 15 cabinet members and a parliament that does not exceed 75 members.
The Zanzibar Isles will retain their own semi-autonomous government under the new arrangement as was the case under the old. Zanzibar and the mainland united in April 1964 to form the union government.
“The union issue was the most contentious of all,” Judge Warioba said. “We received many views, some of which called for the break-up of the union itself.”
Some groups had advocated a one-government union while others backed the status quo of two governments. Yet others proposed a four-government structure.
“We weighed the pros and cons and arrived at the conclusion that the three-government structure was best,” said the CRC chairman.
NMG
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