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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:The transition to multiparty democracy in Tanzania: some history and missed opportunities
Author:Tambila, K.I.
Year:1995
Periodical:Verfassung und Recht in Übersee
Volume:28
Issue:4
Pages:468-488
Language:English
Geographic term:Tanzania
Subjects:democracy
multiparty systems
Abstract:In February 1991, the President of Tanzania set up a commission to collect the views of Tanzanians regarding multiparty and one-party politics and to derive recommendations therefrom. The report of the commission was published in 1992. It dealt at length with the genesis of the debate on multipartyism and it surmised that both the advocates of a multiparty system and the advocates of a one-party State were concerned about the lack of democracy in the country. True democracy, the commission noted, consisted of four essentials, namely respect for the Rule of Law, respect for human rights, periodic free and fair elections, and freedom of information. Some of the recommendations made by the Nyalali Commission were taken up quickly, but many others were not and, by deciding not to issue a White Paper on the report, the government purposely tried to stymie discussion on the recommendations. In order to affect the transition to multipartyism, the Tanzanian parliament passed the Political Parties Act, 1992. The present article critically assesses the Nyalali Commission's recommendations and the content of the new law. It concludes that the government's control over the transition process seems to be influenced too much by partisan interests. Notes, ref., sum. (p. 418-419).
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