POLL: 91 percent want underperforming MPs out

Rakesh Rajani

Majority of Tanzanians want the new constitution to have a clause that mandates the public to expel underperforming Members of Parliament.

Releasing the findings of a research titled: “Drafting the law of the land: Reflections of citizens in Mainland Tanzania on the draft constitution” head of Twaweza, Rakesh Rajani, said - according to the study- 91 per cent of people in Tanzania mainland want to have a mandate to oust their legislators in case they fail to perform their duties or are underperforming.


The findings based on data from “Sauti za Wananchi” programme - a nationally representative mobile phone survey. Twaweza through the mobile phone service interviewed at least 1,708 households across Mainland Tanzania. 
The research only involved Tanzania Mainland.

The same research has established that at least 51 percent of Tanzanians in the Mainland only that were interviewed are in support of the three-tier government.

“One of the major areas of debate – in the new Constitution process - has been around the state of the union between the Mainland and Zanzibar. On this topic, the opinions are divided, with half (51 percent) agreeing and half (48 percent) disagreeing to the establishment of three governments,” says the statement. 

However the research findings reveal that the support for three governments among Mainland Tanzanians was equal to support for one government - both at 19 percent.

But there is considerable change in mindset when comparing the current results to Sauti za Wananchi findings in Afrobarometer survey conducted in the whole country (including Zanzibar) in 2012. 

In 2012 almost half (47 percent) of Mainland Tanzanians supported no change in union matters, however in July of this year, just over one out of four (26 percent) Mainland Tanzanians chose this option. In contrast, less than one out of ten (8 percent) supported increased autonomy for Zanzibar in 2012 while one out of three support this course in 2013. Sauti za Wananchi is only carried out on the Mainland so no data for Zanzibar are available.

According to the research, there have been a number of other clauses in the draft constitution that have been debated extensively in the media. 

Other areas that receive broad public support with the percentage in brackets include a presidential candidate to be over 40 years old (84 percent), ministers and deputies to be appointed by the President and endorsed by Parliament (77 percent), Parliament to be composed of 75 members, with two members from each region in the Mainland and Zanzibar (76 percent).

Also, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker not to be a leader of a political party five years before seeking this position (72 percent), ministers and deputies should not be councilors, MPs or members of the house of representatives (70 percent), MPs not to be in office for more than 15 years (70 percent),independent presidential and parliamentary candidates should be able to stand in General Elections (67 percent) and there should be an independent electoral commission, appointed by the President (65 percent).

Over a third (36 percent) of Tanzanians on the Mainland participated in the constitutional review process through community meetings, SMS, interviews, letters and email. The vast majority of them participated through community meetings organized by the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC). In addition, almost half of Mainland Tanzanians can explain what a constitution is.