AfricaPress-Tanzania: NATIONAL Assembly Speaker, Job Ndugai, has expressed his dismay over opposition political parties’ decision to boycott nominating their women members to the legislative special seats, saying it is against the constitution and limits efforts to enhance their rights.
Political parties that gain more than five per cent of the total legislative votes in the general election are required by the constitution and country laws to nominate female candidates to become special seat MPs.
But speaking in the National Assembly here on Thursday, the Speaker said the political parties would have hastened to nominate their names if it was to include men in the nomination process.
“We have parties that have not submitted the names of their MPs and are busy quarrelling in social media and other platforms instead of submitting names of their special seat lawmakers,” he said shortly after the election of the Deputy Speaker, in which Dr Tulia Ackson was re-elected.
Dr Ackson, who is the MP for Mbeya-urban (CCM), was re-elected with 350 votes out of 354 valid votes counted. The speaker said it was shocking and a huge disgrace among the political parties to withhold names of women who qualify to be special seat MPs.
“How do you prevent women from coming to defend the rights of fellow Tanzanians,” he said. “This is unacceptable and does not qualify to be debated.” Ndugai said, as he was concerned that the nomination process is an opportunity enshrined in the constitution.
He noted that whether the parties nominate or boycott the process does not affect or limit the Parliament from proceeding.
In another development, the National Assembly Speaker said parliamentary committees will be formed during the forthcoming parliamentary seating, saying he hoped that the president will have completed setting the cabinet by then.
The parliamentary committees are expected to be formed based on the ministries set by the president.
“We have ongoing elections, including getting representatives for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and Great Lakes,” he said, requesting MPs to explore the opportunities that come with the regional cooperation. “All these come with the elective position,” he added.
The parliament, however, cautioned MPs, especially the newly elected first comers from unnecessary failure to attend parliamentary proceedings, saying permanent and frequent absentees will be reported to their party for further decision.
