Samia assents four Bills into laws

DODOMA: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has signed into laws four Bills which were endorsed by Members of Parliament during the 14th session of the National Assembly, the house was informed yesterday.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson said that according to the house Standing Orders, the 14th session approved four Bills, including the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Bill, 2023, the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Bill, 2023, and the Political Parties Affairs Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Written Laws Miscellaneous (Amendments) No 4 of 2023.

Dr Tulia explained that after the President signed the Bills into laws they will be known as the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act No.1 of 2024, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Act No 2 of 2024, the Political Parties Affairs Laws (Amendment) Act No. 3 of 2024 and the Written Laws Miscellaneous (Amendments) No 4 of 2024.

Early February this year, the National Assembly unanimously endorsed three electoral reform Bills that aim to strengthen good governance and democracy in the country.

The approval came after the government accepted proposed amendments to some clauses of the three Bills, as presented by the Parliamentary Committee on Governance, Constitution and Legal Affairs, as well as other Members of Parliament.

The proposed changes include renaming the electoral commission to ‘Independent National Electoral Commission’ and amending the provision that requires the NEC director to become the secretary of the recruitment committee.

Instead, this position will be given to any senior public servant with the required qualifications. Other changes include recognising gender-based violence in elections as poll offences and the appointment of commission members and election supervisors.

Concluding the debate on the three bills, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs), Jenister Mhagama, stated that the parliamentary committee advised against the NEC director serving as the secretary of the recruitment committee.

“We have agreed with the committee that instead of specifying the position and qualities of the director, there will be an inclusive qualification such as a senior public servant who is capable of doing the work,” she said.

Mhagama added that the government’s requirement is for the recruitment committee to bring in commission members with the necessary qualifications.

Furthermore, the minister stated that the government has accepted the recommendation proposed by most lawmakers to change the name of the commission to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Regarding NEC permanent staff, Minister Mhagama stated that the government has decided to establish the commission’s service secretariat, similar to the Parliamentary Service Commission.

On the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Bill, 2023, the minister stated that the government has agreed to amend Section 6(1) of the bill to broaden the scope of appointing election supervisors.

The changes will also include the appointment of a public servant with the required qualifications.

Regarding unopposed candidates, the minister stated that the government has agreed that these candidates will be voted for or against during the election.

If the contestant garners the majority of votes, they will be declared the winner.