APRM: Public interests should prevail in the Constitution Assembly
By Shout-Africa Tanzania Correspondent – The African Union (AU) governance assessment Body-the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has urged members of the Tanzanian Constituent Assembly to be guided by national rather than personal interest.
A statement issued in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the APRM Tanzania chapter insisted that the constitution making is a historical process that Tanzanians should not waste its potential in the pursuit for making a better country.
“We understand that members of the Assembly are coming from diverse areas and institutions, but just like what the common people did during the opinion collection period, we urge all members of the special Assembly to bury their personal wants and discuss the draft with a sense of national interests,” said the statement.
APRM reminded the members that during the discussion of the APRM Tanzania governance report by APRM Heads of State and Government in January, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia many African leaders commended the people of Tanzania for undertaking the historic constitution review process.
“Tanzania is one of the countries in Africa that offers best practices due to its peaceful populace, tranquillity and the tendency of the government to address good governance issues amicably. Africa is waiting to learn from Tanzania through this process,” said the statement.
As the Constitution Assembly starts today (Tuesday 18th February, 2014), the APRM insisted that it is a normal thing that at some point members of the Assembly will lock horns over some issues but the governance watchdog Mechanism insists for them to reach amicable solutions through dialogue.
APRM was launched in 2003 by African leaders as a self-assessment mechanism that instils practice and adoption of policies among African countries with a view to improve good governance. Tanzania acceded to the Mechanism since 2004.
