APRM Tanzania to sensitize Zanzibar House Reps on governance

By Shout Africa.com Correspondent Hassan Abbas, Dar es Salaam – The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Tanzania Secretariat will on 23rd October, brief Zanzibar House of Representatives on the findings of an updated governance report which was released in September this year.

Zanzibar House Speaker Pandu Kificho

Zanzibar House Speaker Pandu Kificho

Speaking in Dar es Salaam today the Executive Secretary of APRM Tanzania, Rehema Twalib said the seminar with House Reps will be preceded by one with Permanent Secretaries of various Ministries in the Isles on 18th October.

“The report has contained views of the common citizens and experts from both sides of the Union. It is now high time to brief our key stakeholders in the two governments so that they are aware what their people demands,” she said confirming that more engagement of political leaders and other key stakeholders will be done in both Mainland and Zanzibar.

The newly updated APRM report has shown that the country has recorded significant strides in the 50 years of independence in, among other areas, promotion of constitutional democracy, entrenching the rule of law and holding peaceful multi-party elections.

The report has however pointed out some governance challenges that need to be addressed to include the need for the enactment of a new and participatory constitution, resolving the Union questions and making the nationally growing economy benefit majority of the poor in the society.

MP John Shibuda

MP John Shibuda

APRM is an institution of the African Union formed in 2003 with the mandate of assessing governance in member states through participating the people and preparing a national plan of action for addressing the identified gaps.

Tanzania being among 30 countries which have acceded to the mechanism looks forward to attain more accelerated political stability, high economic growth and strengthened good governance, conducive to attract more investment, upon successfully implementing the program whose reports are issued every after four years.