NEWLY installed Chairperson of the Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD) Prof Ibrahim Lipumba has hailed his predecessor, Adulrahman Kinana’s efforts to promote democracy and bringing together its members.
Speaking to journalists immediately after the TCD Summit Meeting at the centre’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam late on Monday, Prof Lipumba said Kinana’s legacy is enviable and committed himself to walk on the same path.
“Mzee Kinana has done a commendable job throughout his leadership by bringing together members and championing democracy and reconciliation,” Prof Lipumba said.
Briefing journalists after the summit, Pro Lipumba said they had two main agendas, the discussion on the review of their constitution and to hand over the chairmanship from CCM to CUF. Mr Kinana, who is the CCM Vice-Chairperson (Mainland) handed-over the TCD top post to Prof Lipumba.
He also said that the TCD summit discussed the upcoming national forum for democracy which is expected to be held in either Dodoma or Dar es Salaam come August this year.
Prof Lipumba said that President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to grace the forum as a move to continue with the reconciliation agenda that her administration firmly stands for.
The forum is expected to feature themes that are in line with Dr Samia’s 4Rs initiative and her previous directives to the Registrar of Political Parties, Judge Francis Mutungi to summon a special meeting for the political parties’ council to evaluate implementation of recommendations by the Task Force formed to assess political climate and multipartism in the country.
On his part, the new TCD Vice- Chairman, who is also the Chairman of NCCR-Mageuzi, Haji Ambar Khamis said that TCD is a sensitive organ and that at the moment it is embarking on President Samia’s reconciliation efforts.
Analysts consider the 4Rs philosophy of President Samia as a key driver of achievements recorded so far in her leadership in the country’s top office.
The 4Rs stands for Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms and Rebuilding, and serve as a necessary tool in addressing the contemporary issues affecting the country’s social, political and economic systems.
According to the constitution, the principal leadership of TCD is obtained through rotational means, where chairpersons, vice chairpersons and secretary generals of political parties are entitled to lead the commission rotationally, following the alphabetic order of the member parties.
TCD is a non –religious, non -partisan and not – for – profit non – governmental membership organization founded by Parliamentary political parties. It was founded on July 5th 2005, and registered under the Societies Ordinance 1954, in 2006.
Currently, TCD has five members, which are the ruling party CCM, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), the Civic United Front (CUF), National Convention for Construction and Reform Mageuzi (NCCR-Mageuzi), and Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo).
However, CHAUMA participates in the TCD summit as a representative of other political parties that do not have the required qualifications to become members of the TCD.