The Catholic Bishops of Tanzania have given their stance on the Referendum for the New Constitution on which they are demanding that the exercise be postponed until after the general election in October this year.
In the Pastoral letter that was issued recently and signed by the President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), His Lordship Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa, the Bishops stated that in spite of the good things in the Draft Constitution, there are still some cardinal issues that require consideration which, if neglected, could lead the society into the wrong direction.
According to the Bishops, very few people so far have accessed the Draft Constitution which is about to be taken for referendum and the voter registration process for the Referendum is yet to be finished. The Bishops doubt whether the process will be finished in time to allow for the Referendum to take place. They also noted that many people are ignorant on the Draft Constitution for which they are preparing to vote. “How can somebody vote for something he or she does not know?” they asked.
In the Pastoral Letter, the Bishops warned that hastening of getting a New Constitution could do more harm to the country than good.
In an interview with Kiongozi Newspaper of TEC, Archbishop Damian Dallu of Songea said, “As the country is preparing for general election let people be properly prepared and informed. We cannot do referendum and general election so closely; all these are very sensitive issues that require time, education of citizens and preparation. Why rushing it?” He further said, “It is our duty as religious Leaders to advice our people.”
And in the Pastoral Letter, the Bishops went on to say that if government persists to hurriedly hold a Referendum, they will tell their faithful to vote against the Draft Constitution in the Referendum.
By Sara Pelaji, Kiongozi Newspaper, TEC