Tanzania: Debate ends with chaos in Zanzibar
…A follow up on the constituional review story- By Own Correspondent – The last day of the open hearing on the proposed Constitutional Review Bill in Zanzibar Isles, a part of the United Republic of Tanzania, has ended up with chaos after a Muslim cleric tore the draft document. The action was taken after the cleric, Farid Hadi Ahmed who chairs the Zanzibar Imams Association.
The incident which took place before members of the Union Parliamentary Committee on Constitution, Legal and Public Administration only to stir more shouts and chaos from others. “We do not want union,” “We want Zanzibar free nation, no more Tanganyika’s colony,” shouted some participants causing the session to be halted before official time and the Parliamentary Committee leaders had to be escort with police.
While the situation was like that in Zanzibar, in Dodoma fewer people have participated in the last hearing day contrary to the first day when police had to use tear gas to disperse students. The Speaker of the Parliament, Anne Makinda also condemned what she called violent students who forced the police to use tear gase on the first day.
The open hearing ended yesterday and the bill will be refined and tabled in the Parliament next week for discussions.
