CIVICS FORM TWO

 

PROMOTION OF LIFE SKILLS

Life skills are the mental abilities which enable a person to have self control. Through these skills, a person is able to act, think or behave in an acceptable manner in the community. Some of the life skills include: negotiation skills, relationship skills, self-awareness skills and decision-making skills. Life skills as a discipline, refers to the study that provide knowledge and skills which enable people to cope with the day to day socio-economic affairs in the ever changing world.

Social Problem Solving Techniques

Meaning and Importance of Applying Problem Solving Techniques

Explain the meaning and importance of applying problem solving techniques

The advancement of science and technology, diversification of culture, population growth and interaction of different cultures intensifies the need for education on life skills in secondary schools and to common citizens,. Life skills therefore, enable people to cope with the rapid socio-economic, culture and political changes brought by global interactions.

Promotion of life skills refers to the deliberate efforts toencourage and cultivate social values, knowledge and ability of individuals in solving problems. It helps individuals control themselves in a more acceptable manner.

Activity 1

Discuss with your fellows the ways to combat HIV/AIDS pandemic

People face various problems, especially when they struggle to achieve better life. Social problems are difficulties that affect people in a community. These problems hinder various developments in communities. People always struggle to solve these problems by using a variety of techniques. These techniques are known as social problem solving techniques, and they are applied in societies. Therefore, Problem solving techniques are ways though which people solve different problems encountered in their societies. Societies have different ways of solving problems due to the varieties of problems. Because of these variations, techniques of solving these problems differ a great deal. Speaking skills can be one of them. The following are some of the techniques that are usually employed in solving problems:

·         Cooperative techniques:thisisaway of solving problems whereby a person who has a problem exposes it to other people so that they can help each other to overcome it. This technique is very useful because different people are involved in tackling the existing problem. Solving problems collectively is more effective than tackling problems individually.

·         Guidance and counselling: There are problems which cannot be solved physically or mechanically. Instead, they need psychological treatment. The counselling treatment is applied to people who suffermentally or emotionally. For example, HIV/AIDS victims and drug addicts need counselling so as to make them feel comfortable. In the counselling technique, the problem is not actually solved. What is done in counselling is simply to give psychological relief. Through guidance and counselling, a person is given ways of solving the problem or coping with it. Counselling acts as the curative measure as it helps one to cope with the situation and feel comfortable.

·         Working hard: It is an appropriate method to the problem that is caused by laziness. For example, lack of food and good shelter can be solved by working hard. Working hard has proved to be one of the effective means to success to success. It’s advisable that, hard work should be employed in both mental and physical activities so that many problems could easily be solved.

·         Seeking advice from individual persons: It is a technique that is very familiar to many people for a number of years in problem solving. Every day experiences show that, many people pay visit to other in searching advice to solve their problems. In most cases, people consulted are those who are considered to be wise. With enough knowledge and experience about various problems. At school, for example, a student may seek advice from his/her fellow students or a teacher on how to conduct private studies in order to avoid failures in examinations.Likewise a person who faces a problem in business can seek advice from well experienced fellow business people on how to solve it.

·         Reading books: Some books tell us something about life skills. Such books give different suggestions on how to solve problems. For example there are books which help people with psychological problem to recover. People are encouraged to build habits to read both fictional and non-fictional stories. They usually aim at refreshing their mind and acquire problem solving skills. It is important for a person who is seeking advice to consider the nature of his/her problem before deciding on what to do. There are problems which may not be solved by individual people, so they need collective solutions. Normally problems of this kind need specific strategies to eradicate them. In addition, an advice seeker should carefully examine every piece of advice given before implementation. It is however important to note that, for every piece of advice given, it might have an implication. So, the advice seeker should be very careful when implementing or executing it.

The importance of applying problem solving techniques

Problem solving is very important in societies because thetechnique lays afoundation for realising ideal solutions to the problem encountered. Problem solving techniques arevery important because:

·         The method helps people to get the required possible solutions to various problems. If all steps are carefully followed, the probability of realizing the best solutions is very high.

·         Common people get enough skills and knowledge to problem solving in society, hence reduce government expenditure.

·         Many different options for social problem solving can be used depending on the nature of the problem in the society.

Effective problem solving

Since communities are problem oriented, people always engage themselves in solving those problems. We can, therefore, realise that problems are part and parcel of human life. So, it is the duty of every society or community so solve its problems effectively. Effective problem solving is determined by the use of effective strategies. The effectiveness of the solution depends on the right alternatives that can help to eliminate the problem stated in the society.

The importance of effective problem solving

It has to be understood that problem solving is a necessary process in every society. The following are the advantages of effective problem solving.

·         Effective problem solving restores peace and harmony to the people who have victims. Peace and harmony helps people to live comfortably. Unity and solidarity may be promoted among people of a given society. For example people who have been in conflict for a long time, usually enjoying being free and peaceful once they are reconciled.

·         Effective problem solving can reduce the occurrence of deaths. Some deaths are usually due to problems such as misunderstanding among family members or a given society. Immediate and effective problem solving can reduce the rate of misunderstandings among people. Misunderstanding usually influence social affections, this may leads to the occurrence of wars, hence causing loss of many people’s lives. Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo have experienced such problems which are mostly due to tribal misunderstandings.

·         Effective problem solving can promote development in the society. Problems are the major obstacles to the development in many societies in the world. For example, diseases weaken peoples health. In that situation there is possibility for that society to have less development. To avoid this, effective problem solving strategies need to be promoted.

Steps in the Problem Solving Process

Identify steps in the problem solving process

To solve problems successfully there are some specific steps to undertake. The following are some of the basic steps:

Steps in problem solving process

Initiating mediation

Mediation is one of the processes used in problem solving. In this process, two parties are reconciled by athird party. The letter is referred to as the mediator. The mediator assists people involved in a conflict to negotiate and come up to a mutual agreement. We say mediation is effective if the conflicting parties become friendly at the end of reconciliation. Its a failure if the parties continue with their conflict after the conciliation process. Initiating mediation is technically called problem identification in research procedures. This is because initiating mediation prepares good ground for proper understanding of the problem. Through mediation, factors that cause conflict are put to light as people involved in the conflict are asked about the sources of their disputes.

Gathering information

In order to solve any problem there should enough information collected about the problem at hand. It is through information gathering that important data can be obtained. It is important to collect data about the existing problem in order to understand what actually causes the problem. For example if one wants to solve the problem about malaria in a particular area, there is the need to have enough information about its causes. Likewise, a doctor can cure a disease after doing through investigation about it. Information gathering has, for years, been used in establishing different projects. Project developers have to collect facts or prior information about the area in which they want to conduct their projects.

Ways of gathering information

Information is gathered using different techniques. The techniques are determined by the nature of the problem that needs solution. The following are among of the tools/techniques employed in information gathering:

Observation

It is physically done by examining the situation which surrounds the problem. In this tool, a person uses his/her eyes to look at the incident and any available records. There are problems which can be easily solved after being observed. For example if one wants to control the spread of malaria at place, he/she will be required to observe factors that are likely to speed up the spread of the disease. The presence of tall grasses, ponds and other structures that facilitate stagnant water provide favourable condition for mosquitoes to lay eggs and multiply. These will be the area of interest of the observer. In contrast, if there is cholera one will observe dirtiness of the environment. The observer will look at the presence of feces from animals or human beings and other dirty materials which support vibro cholera bacteria to multiply at a high rate.

Questionnaire

It is an instrument that has a series of question whereby each one provides a number of alternative answer from which the respondent can choose.The questions are normally written on a prepared sheet of paper. The questions are given to the targeted people who are required to respond accordingly.Through these answers, the researcher can analyse the data and finally draw a conclusion about the problem stated. Example; is malaria present in your area? Mention the factor you think have contributed to the spread of malaria in your village. When answers are given to the above questions, the researcher will understand the extent of the problem. As a result the researcher will give suggestions on how to help these people solve their problem. People are supposed to bear in mind that this tool has its limitation, For instance, questionnaires are only possible with literate people [those who can read and write].This means, there will be no response from illiterates.

Interview

An interview refers to a verbal interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee [respondent]. An interview is usually designed to collect information and people opinions and feelings on the problem. In fact, it is a face-to-face conversation between individuals. With interview, an individual, respondent or a group of respondents who provide instant responses to oral questions are questioned. The interviewer asks and jots down the answers given by the interviewees [respondents). The responses are noted down so that they can later be analysed to see how they correlate with the problem researched.

A conclusion is made and suggestions are given. Interviews are the most effective tools compared to other tools. For example, there is a room for making an additional clarification. Interview is inclusive as it can be used by both literate and illiterate people.

Reading different books and other materials related to the problem

Sometimes answers to the problems can be found in books, journals and other written material which provide the necessary data needed by the researcher. These data are known as secondary data. By reading previous studies the problem seeker can see how other people tried to get the related problems. Materials should be of recent and related to the problem investigated. In that way the problem seeker is able to spell out the problem clearly.

Mass media by means of audio and audio-vision materials (i.e. documentary review)

Radio, television, newspaper and magazine are good examples of mass media. Through different programs we can get a lot of information related to the problem whether directly or indirectly. Also different ways of solving problem can be learnt from the radio and television. Lesson obtained from the radio and television programmers can help one to draw a conclusion about how to solve the problem that one is dealing with. Eventually, the problem seeker develops strategies of solving the problem.

Scientific experiences

Experiments of this kind are used by mostly specialists of different disciplines. Doctors, for example, can conduct experiment that involves investigation for the causes of different diseases on human beings and animals. The aim of using scientific experiment is to find out all important facts about the problem that need solution. Through scientific experiments much information can be gathered and recognised by the specialist to deal with the problem.

Defining the problem

After gathering the information, one can state the problem. One can easily tell the factors which cause the problem to be solved. A person can precisely make a statement about the problem in a particular area with the aid of the collected information. For instance, the researcher can generalize that poor academic performance is mainly caused by truancy. Normally the definition or statement of the problem has to be precise. Stating the problem is sometimes a hard thing to do, especially if one has no supporting facts. Otherwise, with supporting facts it is a simple exercise.

Generating alternatives

The aim of collecting information about the problem is to find possible answers to the underlying problem. Normally, the information gathered provides a general picture about possible causes of a particular problem. For example, the outbreak of cholera can be attributed by the use of unclear or no-boiled water, lack of proper toilets and other agents which facilitate cholera transmission. Knowing the reason or factor for occurrence of the problem leads to the proper development of solutions. Taking the example of cholera above, boiling are water, constructing toilets, educating people on the use of toilets properly and proper waste disposal can be suggested as solutions to the problem, since the causes are known. As causes of problems vary, also alternatives for solving the problems depending on the nature of the problem to be solved will vary. Suggestions given to people suffering from malaria differ from those given to people who are subjected to poverty.

Agreeing in solution

In order for suggested solutions to be effective, there should be agreements. These agreements can involve what to do in order to avoid the re-occurrence of the same problem. For example poor academic performance which is mainly caused by absentees in school; the tendency of attending to school will ensure good, students will also be required to work hard and behave in a good manner. In order for these processes to be implemented effectively, there must be conducive school environment. Contrary to that, all those solutions may not succeed.

Therefore, stake holders ought to make sure that the strategies proposed are seriously implemented. At the same time those who tend to ignore the agreements supposed to be punished. They may be forced to pay fines which will serve as the lesson to them, according to the by-laws.

Exercise 1

A .Answer the following questions

·         Define the following terms: (a)Problem (b)Problem solving technique

·         Explain any five recommended steps which can be used in solving problems.

·         Outline the weaknesses of questionnaire in data collection

·         Why do you think it’s necessary to solve problems immediately?

·         Suppose there is a problem of school drop outs in your school. How would you assist the school to solve this problem?

·         Why it’s necessary to collect data before defining a problem?

Exercise 2

B. Write ‘T’ for true statement and ‘F’ for false statement

1.       Corruption, peace and security are examples of school obstacles

2.       A person with psychological problems is advised to consult a prominent artist

3.       Questionnaire is a verbal interaction between two people

4.       Effective problem solving is determined by the use of effective strategies.

 

GOVERNMENT OF TANZANIA

Government

Meaning and Types of Government

Explain the meaning and types of government

The government is asystem or organizational machinery for organizing people. In other words, government is a group of people within a community who have power and authority to perform administrative functions. These includeplanning, making decisions and even the implementation of policies. Government can be created through elections, by force or through hereditary means. The government manages relations between people and their institutions or organizations

Types of governments

The criteria used to categorize governments isbased on how a given government has acquired its position,themeans of formation of the government and the power distribution among the three organs of the state. The most appropriate way of categorizing governments is based on how government leaders get into power. This refers toapeaceful election process or violent processes used to acquire government power. Based onthese criteria, there are only two major types of government; democratic governments and non- democratic governments

Democratic Government

A Democratic Government is aform of government whose political power is determined by popular vote. This type of government takes into consideration the consent of people in decision making, which means it acquires legitimacy from the people through free and fair elections. A good example of a democratic government is the presidential system of government in USA. On the other hand, in a Parliamentary system of government, which is sometimes known as Westminster modal system, there is a separation of power between the head of government (who is selectedfrom the elected members of parliament) and the head of state. A good example of this government is the government of the United Kingdom. In that type of government, the head of government is the prime minister who is an elected member of parliament, while in the presidential system the head of state and government is the elected president. The president can form the cabinet by appointing ministers outside the legislature. United republic of Tanzania uses both the presidential and parliamentary system of government. In Tanzania, the president is the head of state, head of government and commander in chief who comes into power through the general election.

Non-Democratic government

A non-democratic government is the form of government which normally does not come into power by popular election. It is the government which gets into power without majority will and people’s legitimacy. In most cases a non-democratic government results from military coup due to the interest of some leaders. They tend to manipulate election process by imposing dictatorship styles. In this kind of government, only one person or a small group of people take control of the government. These are people who normally have great influence due to economic or social influence. A good example of a non-democratic government is the dictatorship governments like that of Adolf Hitler of Germany and Mussolini of Italy. Other examples are those of Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) formerly Zaire under Mobutu Seseseko and Uganda under Idd Amin Dada. The basic feature of all non-democratic government is the absence of democratic principles.

Dominant Forms of Government in the World are:

1. Republican government

This is a form of government in which a country is governed by a president and other politicians who are elected by the people. In this form of government more power is concentrated to a single person; the president. A good example of this government is that of the United Republic of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa.

2. Union Government

This form of government is usually formed when two or more nations are joined together. Each nation surrenders its power and sovereignty to aunitary government. For example, the United Republic of Tanzania was formed when Tanganyika united with Zanzibar. The United Kingdom is the union of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

3.Monarchical government (a monarchy)

This is a system of government whereby a king or queen rules the country. A king or queen comes into power by inheritance. Examples of monarchies are found in Swaziland, Morocco, the United Kingdom and Netherlands.

There are two types of monarchies.These are:

a.       Absolute monarchy. In this type of monarchy, a king or queen is the head of state and government. He or she forms the government and exercises power without being bound by rules. Swaziland is an example of a country which has an absolute monarchy.

b.       Constitutional monarchy. In this form of monarchy the king or queen is only the head of state. The prime minister is the head of government. The prime minister is elected by citizens in a general election. After being elected, he or she forms a government. Some of the countries with constitutional monarchies include Sweden, Japan, Jordan, The United Kingdom (UK) and Netherlands.

4. Federation

In this form of government, power is divided and shared between a national government and state governments. Member states have control over their own affairs but a central government controls national affairs. Examples of federal governments are: the Russian Federation, Nigeria and the USA.

5. Dictatorships

A dictatorship is a form of government whereby the leadership rests in the hands of an individual or a group of persons who come into power mainly through force. Dictators have unlimited authority over the people.

6. Communist Government

It is a form of government in a communist country, in which the government owns the major means of production including land. The government provides people with free health care, education and social welfare. A Communist government always results from socialist revolutions. A good example of communist government is North Korea and China.

7. Transitional Government

This is the form of government which is created temporarily by the people within a country while waiting for general government or permanent government. This happens when there is sudden change of government or leadership due to political instability in the country. However this form of government is not a formal system.

Importance of Government

Illustrate the importance of government

The followings are the importance of Government

a.       It provides citizens with social services like health care, education and safe water

b.       The government constructs and maintains infrastructure like roads, school buildings and hospitals.

c.        Maintenance of peace and order in the country is also the role of the government. The government provides security for citizens and their property through the police and the army

d.       Governments initiate and maintain relationships with other countries. The government leaders visit different countries and send ambassadors to those states. Other countries are also invited to do the same in Tanzania. Our country is a member of different international organizations including the United Nations, African Union and the Commonwealth.

e.        The government collects revenue for the development of the country. Citizens pay taxes to the government which, in turn, provides social services using the money collected.

f.        It guides the country by preparing and implementing good policies.

g.        Individual rights of citizens are protected by the government.

The Constitution

The constitution is the system of laws and basic principles that a country or an organization is governed by. The national constitution is the basic law of a country. This means that all other laws must conform to the provisions of the constitution.

Meaning and the Structure of the National Constitution

Explain the meaning and the structure of the national constitution

The constitution provides the framework of the country and creates the principle organs of the state as well as their powers and limitations.

Types of constitution

There are two main types of constitution: namely written constitution and unwritten constitution. The written constitution is the one in which basic principles are written down in a form of legal document. Many countries have adopted this type of constitution. For example, Tanzania, Kenya and USA. It acts as standard of reference to which government activities reflects upon. Also it minimizes chance of misinterpretation. Unwritten constitution is the one in which basic principles are not written in a single document, but they rely on various documents and other points of reference. A good example is Britain, where its constitution is based on statutes, customary and precedents and convectional practices.

How the Constitution is Made, its Importance, its Relationship to the Government of Tanzania, and How it is Safeguarded

Explain how the constitution is made, its importance, its relationship to the government of Tanzania, how it is safeguarded

The constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977 is divided into ten chapters. Each chapter is divided into several parts.

The following is the structure of our constitution.

Chapter one

This chapter has the following three parts:

1. The United Republic and the people. This part talks about the:

a.       Proclamation of the United Republic of Tanzania.

b.       Territory of the United Republic of Tanzania, which consists of the whole area of Tanzania mainland, Zanzibar, and territorial waters.

c.        Declaration of a multi-party state. Tanzania is a democratic and socialist state which follows multi-party democracy.

d.       Exercising of state authority. All Tanzania state authorities exercise their power under the control of six organs, which are:

·         The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

·         The Revolution Government of Zanzibar.

·         The Judiciary of the United Republic of Tanzania.

·         The Judiciary of Zanzibar.

·         The Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania.

·         The House of Representatives of Zanzibar.

e. The franchise: This is the formal permission given to Tanzanian citizens aged eighteen and above to vote in any public election held in Tanzania.

2. Fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy. This part describes:

a.       The interpretation of the government: According to the Constitution, the government includes the government of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, local government authorities and any person who exercises power or authority on behalf of the government.

b.       The application of the provisions of this part of the Constitution: According to the constitution, this part is not enforceable by any court.

c.        The government and the people: The government derives its power and authority from the people through the Constitution.

d.       The pursuit of Ujamaa and self-reliance: Tanzania is a state that follows Ujamaa and self-reliance.

e.        The right to work, to educational and other pursuits: The Constitution recognizes every person’s right to work, to education and social welfare in times of sickness, disability or old age.

3. Basic rights and duties of citizens. This part explains:

a.       The equality of human beings: The Constitution recognizes that all persons are born free and equal and that every person is entitled to recognition and respect.

b.       Equality before the law: All people are equal and should be treated equally before the law.

c.        The right to life: All people have the right to live and be protected by the society.

d.       The right to freedom of conscience: Every person has freedom to live as a free person.

e.        The right to privacy and personal security: Every person has the right toprivacy, respect and protection of himself, his family and his properties.

f.        Duties to the society: Among other duties the citizens are supposed to participate in work, abide by laws, safeguard public property and defend the nation.

g.        General provisions on: (i) Fundamental rights and duties: The Constitution guarantees fundamental human rights for all persons in Tanzania. (ii) Limitations of basic rights, freedoms and duties: The Constitution limits individual rights and freedoms for the interest of other persons or the public.

h.       The extraordinary powers of the state authority about:(i) Derogation from rights and freedoms: The Constitution gives parliament the mandate to enact laws that will enable measures to be taken during a state of emergency or against persons who can endanger the security of the nation. (ii) Power to proclaim a state of emergency: The President has the power to proclaim a state of emergency when there is danger or war in the country.

Chapter two

This chapter has three parts which deal with the executive arm of the United Republic of Tanzania.

·         The President: This part describes how the President is elected, the qualifications for election as President, the provisions for being re-elected and duties and powers of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania. It also describes the Government of Tanzania.

·         The Vice-President: This is the principal assistant to the President. This part describes the qualifications and duties of the Vice-President.

·         The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the government

(a) The Prime Minister is appointed by the President but the National Assembly must approve him or her through a majority vote.

(b) Cabinet is made up of the Vice-President, the President of Zanzibar, the Prime Minister and all cabinet ministers. The ministers are appointed by the President after consulting the Prime Minister. There are also deputy ministers who are appointed by the President.

This part also points out the length of the ministers’ and deputy ministers’ terms of office. In addition, this part includes the Attorney-General, who is appointed by the President. The Attorney-General is the advisory of the government of Tanzania on legal matters. The secretary to the Cabinet and regional commissioners are also mentioned, and their duties explained.

Chapter three

This chapter describes the parliament. The parliament is made up of the President and the National Assembly. This chapter has three parts:

·         Establishment of the National Assembly, its authorities, powers and its lifetime.

·         Members, constituencies and election of members. This part explains who the members of the National Assembly are and how they are elected or appointed.

·         Procedures, powers and privileges of Parliament. This part also describes the functions of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the procedures for electing them.

Chapter four

This chapter has the following three parts:

·         The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and the President of Zanzibar: In this part the Constitution describes the head of the Zanzibar Government, his

·         Authority and how he is elected.

·         The Zanzibar Revolutionary Council: This part describes the members of the council, who are the President of Zanzibar as chairman, the Chief Minister, all ministers of the Zanzibar Government and other members appointed by the chairman.

·         The House of Representatives of Zanzibar: Zanzibar’s House of Representatives comprises two parts. These are:

a.       The Head of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar who is also the President of Zanzibar.

b.       Members of the House elected or appointed according to the Zanzibar Constitution. These members are called Representatives. -

This part also explains the authority of the Representatives. Among their functions are.

a.       To question any ministry concerning public affairs in Zanzibar.

b.       To debate the performance of any ministry of Zanzibar.

c.        To authorize any plan intended to be implemented in Zanzibar.

Chapter five

This chapter deals with the judiciary. The judiciary refers to the country’s courts and court officials. Chapter five has seven parts which are:

·         The High Court of the United Republic.

·         The appointment of judiciary personnel by the Judiciary Service Commission.

·         The High Court of Zanzibar.

·         The Court of Appeal of the United Republic.

·         Process of the courts.

·         The special Constitutional Court.

Chapter six

This chapter has two parts:

·         The Permanent Commission of Enquiry: The members of this commission are appointed by the President.

·         The Public Leaders’ Ethics Secretariat, whose main task is to investigate the conduct of public leaders,

Chapter seven

Chapter seven deals with the finances of the United Republic in the areas of contribution and allocation of revenue. It also discusses the consolidated fund and the conditions for withdrawal of the money, the expenditure and other matters concerning union funds.

Chapter eight

This chapter deals with the establishment and functions of local government authorities such as municipal councils and county councils.

Chapter nine

It contains provisions on the armed forces and also describes the powers of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The armed forces are made up of the army, the navy and the air force.

Chapter ten

This chapter has miscellaneous (various) provisions. The areas dealt with include:

·         Resignation of personnel from various offices.

·         Procedure of succession in government offices.

·         Interpretation of terms in the Constitution.

·         Title, commencement and application of the Constitution.

·         Union matters.

Activity 1

Which chapter in the constitution gives you different rights as a citizen? List then explain four rights described in that chapter

Making the constitution

The Tanzanian Constitution has not always been as it is contently. It has undergone several major changes since the first one was written in 1961. The following are the versions of the Constitution that Tanzania has had.

1. The Independence Constitution of 1961

Tanganyika got her independence from Britain in 1961. The British wrote a Constitution for Tanganyika which was used when Mwalimu J. K. Nyerere was the Prime Minister. This constitution is known as the Independence Constitution of 1961

2. The Republican Constitution of 1962

In 1962, the government of Tanganyika published a white paper proposing to make the country a republic. The National Assembly discussed the paper and adopted it. The National Assembly then passed an Act of Parliament to give it a legal right to be a Constituent Assembly. This Constituent Assembly discussed and adopted a new Constitution and Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere was elected the first president of the Republic of Tanganyika. This Constitution is known as the Republic Constitution of 1962.

3.The Interim Constitution of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar of 1964

After the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar there was a need to change the Constitution. So the President of Tanzania issued an interim constitutional decree which modified the Constitution of the Republic of Tanganyika. The new Constitution was the Interim Constitution of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar of 1964.

4.The Interim Constitution of Tanzania of 1965

In 1965, the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania enacted an Act of Parliament to make the Interim Constitution of Tanzania. This constitution declared Tanzania a single party state. Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) of Tanzania mainland and Afro-Shiraz Party (ASP) of Zanzibar were the only political parties recognized by the Constitution. This Constitution was the starting point in uniting TANU and ASP so that Tanzania could become a real-one party state. This Constitution is known as the Interim Constitution of Tanzania of 1965.

5.The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977

In 1977, TANU and ASP united to form Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). This union created the need for a new Constitution. The then president of Tanzania Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere appointed a Constitutional Commission of twenty people to oversee the making of a new constitution. Each side of the union was represented by ten members.

President Nyerere appointed the representatives of the Constituent Assembly to consider the proposal of the Constitutional Commission to enact the constitution. The members of the Constituent Assembly were 45 from Zanzibar and 156 from Tanzania mainland. They discussed and agreed on the constitutional proposals made by the Constitutional Commission, then, the current constitution was adopted. This constitution is known as the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977.

 

Constitutional amendment

Constitutional amendment is the process of improving or changing the laws in the constitution for the aim of improving the laws in the constitution.

The 1977 Constitution has many amendments. These amendments were made to cater for the changing needs of the society. The major amendments are:

·         The introduction of a Bill of Rights in the Constitution in 1984.

·         An amendment to introduce the multi-party system in Tanzania in 1992.

·         In 1995, another amendment introduced the Vice-President as the President’s running mate in the elections. It also made the president of Zanzibar a member of the Union Cabinet.

The changes made are;

a.       It changed the mode of electing the President. Previously, the President was elected by majority vote. This amendment allowed the President to be elected by the highest votes.

b.       It increased the number of seats allocated to women in Parliament to thirty percent.

c.        The independence of the judiciary and its powers on legal matters were established.

d.       It established the Human Rights and Good Governance Commission.

Importance of a national Constitution

The Constitution is very important to the country for the following reasons.

·         The Constitution protects the rights of individuals.

·         It ensures that the government is fair and just to its citizens.

·         The Constitution establishes the main organs of the state. These are the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature.

·         It describes the form of government that is used in the country.

·         The Constitution gives guidance on how disputes between the organs of the state are to be resolved.

·         It defines the limits of the power of leaders.

·         It shows how leaders are to be chosen.

Relationship between the Constitution and the Government of Tanzania

Generally, the relationship between the Constitution and the government is that the Constitution guides the government on all matters of leadership.

·         The Constitution defines the form of government to be used in our country.

·         It is the Constitution that establishes the organs of the state and outlines their powers.

·         The government has to be based on principles of democracy, human rights, social justice and observance of sovereignty of the state as the Constitution prescribes.

·         The leaders of Tanzania at all levels are elected as per the Constitution. Those who are elected lead according to the Constitution’s guidelines.

·         The Constitution states the terms of the leaders in the offices.

·         The elected leaders take an oath to defend the Constitution.

Ways of protecting the constitution

Since the Constitution is the law of the land, it must be protected by every member of the society. There are different ways of protecting the Constitution of our country. The following are some of them.

a.       The existing Constitution was made by a body which dissolved after finishing its task. This makes the Constitution supreme since there is no one above it.

b.       All laws of the country are derived from the Constitution and no one can make laws which contradict the Constitution.

c.        The courts of law protect the Constitution by ensuring that all people are allowed to enjoy their rights.

d.       The government and non-governmental organizations educate the society so that they can understand and protect their constitutional rights.

e.        Mass media educate people about their rights so that when these rights are abused, they can demand them at the courts of law.

Exercise 1

A. Use the words in the box below to answer the questions that follow.

Government, Republic, Federation, Union, Dictatorship, Monarchy, Constitution

1.       A form of government whereby power is divided and shard between a national and state government is called ______________________

2.       The group of people and institutions responsible for controlling a country or state is called_________________

3.       A form of government whereby two or more countries unite to form a single state is called ___________

4.       A form of government in whereby the leadership rests in the hands of an individual or a group of persons who come to power through force is called __________

5.       The system of principles that a country is governed by is called_________

6.       A system of government whereby a king or queen rules the country is called____________

7.       A form of government whereby a country is governed by a president and politicians elected by the people are called ____________

Exercise 2

B. Write ‘T’ for true statements and ‘F’ for false statements.

1.       One importance of a government is to provide social services to the citizens.

2.       The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania is divided into seven chapters.

3.       Chapter two of the Tanzania Constitution describes the parliament.

4.       The Independence Constitution of 1961 was made by the British colonialists.

Local Government

In order for the government to run its functions effectively, it needs to involve people in their respective areas. Village governments, wards, divisions, district, urban and region constitute the local authorities (government). So local government represents people in their grass-root level. Without effective local governments, no democracy can be natured. Local governments are total governments and are important, working hand in hand with the central government.

Meaning of Local Government

Define local government

Local governments are the governments which are formed at the grass- root level in order to assist the central government in matters of administration and other important activities. These governments have powers over, districts, cities and municipals or urban areas. They are created to perform administrative activities at the local levels. The members of these authorities are elected by the residents of these areas. The local government authorities were established in 1982.

Reasons for the establishment of local government

To give more power to the people in the localities. This enables people to participate in government work, plan the development of their areas and maintain peace and order in their areas.

To widen the system of democratic leadership. In their localities, people are able to elect and be elected. This ensures peace and harmony and therefore fulfills the local people’s social, economic and cultural aspirations.

Structure of Local Government

Describe the structure of local government

There are two categories of local government authorities, these are: rural authorities, which are also known as district councils, and urban authorities. The district councils range from the village level to the district level.

The urban authorities are responsible for the administration and development of township, municipalities and cities.

District authorities

1.The village government

This is the smallest unit of a local government. The following is the structure of the village government.It’s formed by 250 house hold. Any area with the number of people mentioned above qualified to be village government. Also the minister who is responsible for local government may declare two units of the same to form a single village, depending on the size and nature of the units which they wanted to unite. Village government works through its major organs which are village assembly and village council.

(a)The village assembly

It is composed of the entire adult population living in the village. The head of the assembly is the village chairperson who is elected by the village assembly. The following are some of the functions of the village assembly:

·         Adopting by-laws of the village.

·         Electing the village chairperson.

·         Electing the village council.

(b)The village committees

There are different committees in the village, including planning, finance, economic affairs, social services, security, forest production and water resources. The committees perform different roles in the village according to their specialized categories.

(c)The village council

Members of the village council are twenty-five in number;they are elected by the village assembly. Their head is the village chairperson. The village council is the executive arm of the village assembly. It performs the day-to-day governance activities of the village under the supervision of the Village Executive Officer (VEO) who is appointed by the district council.

The following are some of the functions of the village council:

a.       Planning and coordinating village activities.

b.       Giving assistance and advising the villagers on developmental matters like agriculture and industry.

c.        Encouraging village residents to undertake and participate in communal enterprises.

d.       Proposing by-laws for the village.

2. The ward government

The ward government is composed of the following:

(a) The ward development council

This is the highest organ in the ward. It is comprised of:

·         (i) The chairperson, who is the ward councilor. The ward councilor is elected by the people who live in that ward. He or she runs the office for a period of five years, and may be re-elected. The councilor represents the ward in the district development council.

·         (ii) Chairpersons of all village councils within the ward.

·         (iii) The members of the district council who live in the ward.

·         (iv) Civic groups involved in the promotion of development in the ward, for example, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Some of the roles and functions of the ward development council include:

·         (i) Developing general plans for the ward.

·         (ii) Managing disasters and other environment-related activities within the ward.

·         (iii) Reviewing the proposals for the village councils’ projects and passing them on for further approval at the district level.

(b)Ward executive officer

The ward executive officer supervises all developmental activities in the ward. He or she is appointed and employed by the district council.

(c)Ward departments

There are different departments in the ward, including:

·         (i) Department of social welfare.

·         (ii) Department of health.

·         (iii) Department of education.

·         (iv) Department of agriculture and livestock.

·         (v) Department of finance.

3. The district councils

The district council is composed of:

·         Elected members from each ward in a district.

·         Members of parliament from constituencies within the district.

·         Three members appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities.

·         One member representing the village councils.

The District Executive Director (DED) is appointed by the President. He or she is the secretary to the district council.

The district council has the following committees:

·         District Development committees.

·         Finance, administration and planning committee.

·         Economic, construction and environment committee.

·         Education, health and water committee.

·         Ethics committee.

The roles and functions of district councils

·         Supervising the implementation of all plans for economic, commercial, industrial and social development in the district.

·         Approving by-laws made by the village councils.

·         Coordinating plans, projects and programmers for the villages in the district.

·         Providing environmental protection and management in the district.

·         Promoting the social welfare and economic well-being of residents.

·         Passing by-laws applicable in the district.

·         Submitting by-laws to the regional officer for comments and re-submitting the by-laws to the Minister for Local Government Authorities for approval.

Urban authorities

Urban authorities include town councils, municipal councils and city councils.

1. Town councils

Examples of town councils in Tanzania are Bukoba, Lindi and Songea. A town council is composed of:

·         Members elected from the wards within the town.

·         Members of Parliament who represent the constituencies within the town.

·         Three members appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities.

Each town council has a town director who is the chief executive.

2. Municipal councils

These are found in towns with a population of over 80,000 residents. Tanzanian municipal councils include Dodoma, Morogoro, Kinondoni, Ilala and Temeke.

A municipal council is composed of:

·         Members elected from the ward within the municipality.

·         Members of Parliament who represent the constituencies within the municipality.

·         Three members appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities.

Officials in municipalities are:

·         The mayor, who is the head of the municipal council and is assisted by the deputy mayor.The two are elected from among councilors.

·         A municipal executive director.He or she is a secretary to the municipal council.

·         The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the municipality.

3. City councils

Tanzania currently has five cities, namely Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, Tanga and Mbeya. The city council is composed of:

·         Councilors, one from each ward in the city.

·         Members representing constituencies in the city.

·         Members of Parliament representing constituencies within the city.

·         Six members appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities from among the city residents.

Officials in the city council are:

·         The mayor. He or she is the head of the city council and is assisted by the deputy mayor. A mayor is elected from among the councilors and stays in office for five years. They may be re-elected.

·         The city director. He or she is the chief executive, and is appointed by the President. He or she is also a secretary to the city council. Urban authorities have committees.

The following are some of them.

·         Economic affairs, health and education.

·         Urban planning and environment.

·         Finance and administration.

The roles of urban authorities include:

·         Facilitating the maintenance of peace, order and good governance.

·         Promoting social welfare and the economic well-being of the local community.

·         Furthering social and economic development of their areas.

·         Taking necessary measures to suppress crime and protect public and private properties.

·         Regulating and improving agriculture, trade, commerce and industry.

·         Enhancing the health, education, social well-being and recreational life of the people.

·         Eradicating poverty.

The following are the general functions of urban authorities:

·         Taking and requiring the taking of measures for conservation of natural resources, prevention of soil erosion and prohibition of improper cultivation.

·         Inspecting all foodstuffs and liquids intended for human consumption and seizing and destroying the foodstuffs or liquids which are unfit for human consumption.

·         Keeping the environment clean.

·         Taking measures aimed at preventing injury to public health.

Activity 2

Give the names of the following leaders in your area then describe their importance to the society.

·         Ward councilor.

·         Member of Parliament for your constituency.

Functions of Local Government

Identify functions of local government

The establishment of local government at the district and urban areas aimed at performing various functions to the people in their specific localities. Local government can perform those functions as directives from the central government. According to the Tanzania constitution, the following are the functions of local governments:

·         It performs the functions of local government within its area

·         It ensures enforcement of law and public safety

·         It consolidates democracy within its areas

·         It solves the problems facing the local people within a particular area

The functions of local government are divided into two main groups which are: Mandatory functions and permissive functions.

Mandatory functions are those functions performed by local governments as directives from the central government. These functions are assigned by the large country frame work, and are performed according to the national laws, which include:

·         The maintenance of law and order

·         Promotion of social and economic welfare, and wellbeing of all people within the area

·         To collect and make proper utilization of revenue

·         To make by-laws for the materials and local policies

·         To make advancement of social and economic development in accordance with material policy and plans.

·         To make consideration, regulation and coordination of projects and plans

Permissive functions are those functions which the local government may perform depending on the nature of the area, the need and availability of resources, particularly the fiscal resources. These may include:

·         Building, equipping and letting of shops and houses

·         Establishment.maintenance, operating and control of damage and sewage works

·         Building and maintaining health centers and primary schools

·         Charging fees for services and licences

Participating Actively in Function of either School or Local Government

Participate actively in function of either school or local government

Among the aims of establishing the local government is to bring about social and economic development in each specific area by involving people from grass-root. To fulfill this, each one ought to participate in performing various responsibilities, such as working in the community in support of particular cause; paying required taxes. Licences and other duties; attending political and community meetings and monitoring and criticizing local government activities that might against the law such as corruption and embezzlement of public fund.

Why the Local Government has an Important Effect on One's Life

Explain why the local government has an important effect on his/her life

The functions of local government have positive effects on people’s lives. These effects are: -

a.       Peace, order and harmony prevail in their localities.

b.       Production is conducted without any interference. The peaceful environment allows people to participate effectively in economic activities.

c.        There is freedom of expression and freedom of participation in decision-making on matters affecting the society.

d.       Local governments encourage democratic participation. Councilors are elected after every five years. The residents of each area are free to participate fully in electing their councilors. Thus, people elect the leaders that they want and remove incompetent leaders through elections.

e.        People benefit from what they contribute to the local government. Residents pay taxes and in turn get services such as education, garbage collection and health facilities.

f.        People are kept informed about the policies of their local government authorities. As a result, better decisions are made in the local areas.Sources of local government revenue

Sources of Local Government Revenue

Explain sources of local government revenue

Revenue is also called income. The following are the main sources of revenue for local government authorities.

Sources of Revenue

1. Rent

Examples of rent are:

a.       House rent from council houses.

b.       Rent from market stalls.

c.        Land rent and service charges.

2. Licenses

A licence is a permit from an authority to carry out an activity, own or use something. A person can apply for a licence for things such as:

a.       Auctioning

b.       Retail trading

c.        Fishing

d.       Driving

e.        Entertainment

3. Duties

Duties are fees paid for certain goods and services. Examples include:

a.       Customs duties, paid on goods brought into the country.

b.       Stamp duty, paid for some legal documents.

c.        Excise duties, paid for some goods made, sold or used within the country.

4. Contributions

Residents living in an area contribute to their local authority through:

a.       Fees under by-laws.

b.       Court fines.

c.        Paying for the use of community centers.

d.       Holding fund raisers for community projects.

5. Grants and loans

These are funds given by the central government and various local and international agencies to the local government authorities.

How the Local Government spend its Revenue

Explain how the local government spends its revenue

Expenditure is the act of spending or using money.

The local government authorities spend money in the following ways:

a.       Salaries, wages and allowances paid to the local authority officials and employees.

b.       Operational costs, for instance telephone, water and electricity bills.

c.        Maintenance of assets, e.g. painting council houses and updating computer software.

d.       Paying consolidated fund services, constitutional offices and debts.

e.        Development expenditure for instance road construction and maintenance, building schools and clinics.

Control of local governments

Local government falls are under the Prime Minister’s office where there is a ministry responsible for local government and regional administration.

The Regional Commissioner is the assistant proper officer for the district councils, town councils and village councils established within his or her district.

The Minister for Local Government Authorities and the Regional Commissioners are empowered to approve the annual budgets of their respective authorities. In the district, town, municipal and city councils, there are directors. These directors are accountable for the councils’ funds.

Central Government

The central government is the government which deals with matters concerning the whole nation.

Meaning of Central Government

Explain the meaning of central government

This kind of authority is called central government because all the power over the country are centered on them. To exercise its power the central government has different organs which perform different duties. Ministries and directorates are examples of supporting tools of the central government.

The Structure of the Central Government

Describe the structure of the central government

According to the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, the central government of Tanzania is made up of the executive, the parliament and the judiciary. These organs have been separated so as to: work cooperatively and facilitate the principle of checks and balance within the state; eliminate corruption, serve the people; enhance efficiency and smooth operation of the government; promote transparency and accountability; facilitate division of labour and make coordination and administration easily.

Figure; The structure of the central government

Functions of the Central Government

Explain the functions of the central government

The function of the central government can be viewed through the joint work of the three organs of the state which are executive, legislature and judiciary.

Difference between Local and Central Government

Differentiate between local and central government

Local government can be differentiated from local government as follows:

·         The authority of local government is exercised at the villages, wards, district, town, cities and municipal level while central government has authority to control the whole country.

·         Central government makes by laws for the aim of controlling a small unit while central government makes laws which govern the whole country.

·         In local government there is greater chance for citizens to participate directly in decision making due to the small population compared to the large area the central government covers. Direct participation by every person is not possible in the central government.

·         Local governments are made up of village councils, district councils, town councils, municipal and city councils while the central government is made of the president, vice president, cabinet and the prime minister.

·         The administration in the central government is simple to operate its activities faster because of the size while central government involves a large area and administration is difficult.

·         Local governments are servants of central government; since the central government provides orders to the local government, as the local governments acts as subordinate of the central government.

Sources of Central Government Revenue

Identify sources of central government revenue

There are several sources of income in the country. Among these are:

·         Direct tax- The main form of income tax is direct tax, which is paid by all governmental and private sector employees. It includes monthly payments, interest on investments and profit from other governmental business.

·         Indirect tax- This includes import and export duties which are known as custom duties. Are good example of indirect tax is the value added tax (vat) which was introduced in Tanzania in 1998.

·         Domestic loan borrowing: An example of domestic loan borrowing is the sale of government bonds and treasury bills to the public. The government also borrows money from external sources such as foreign governments and institutions, like IMF, World Back and African Development Bank (ADB).

·         Grants: These are external sources of the central government revenue. They are non-payable funds. They are just provided to poor countries as a free assistance.

·         Charges from provision of the government services: The governments obtain revenue by charging users of the social public services provided to them like water, electricity and medical treatments. The government has established the policy of cost sharing in order to ensure that revenue is realized.

·         Licenses: These are documents which validate property ownership or someone’s competences. For that case, a person who wants to conduct any business must pay for it. Also licenses, such as, driving licenses validate drivers competences. Driving licenses are normally after every three years.

·         Profit from estates and public co-operations: The government fully owns some estates or co-operations while in others, the government the majority shares. As the result of these, the government receives large shares of the profit made. For example the government gets profit from TANESCO, NMB, Sisal and Tea estates, just to mention a few.

·         There are other sources such as industries, tourism sectors, agriculture sectors and others which bring foreign currency to the nation.

Central Government Expenditure

Explain the central government expenditure

The revenue collected by the central government is used in different ways in order to enhance development of the society.

·         It is used in promoting social services such as Education and Health services. For example, the government uses a lot of money in building schools and hospitals in different parts of the country.

·         The government uses its fund in the process of improving transport systems such as construction of roads. These process make the government pat companies which are involved in the construction and the materials needed in the construction process.

·         Other funds are used to help disadvantaged groups such as orphans, widows, refugees, the disabled and the aged.

·         The government uses its fund to buy different needs, such as, stationery materials like pens, pencils and exercise books for people and students in schools.

·         Also the government uses its income to pay internal and external debts.

·         The government uses its revenue to pay workers salaries and other charges like leaves, on transit and housing.

·         In agricultural sector, farmers are provided subsides to help them improve its farming activities.Political parties which have parliamentary seats in the national assembly and counselors in local councils are also given subsides.

Participating in different Central Government activities

Participate in different central government activities

Activity 3

Participate in different central government activities

The Reasons for and Importance of Tanganyika and Zanzibar Union

Tanganyika and Zanzibar united in 26th April, 1964. This led to the formation of The United Republic of Tanzania. The article of the union was ratified by the Act of 1964 of the parliament of Tanzania, called the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar Act of 1964.

The Reasons for and Importance of Tanganyika and Zanzibar Union

Explain the reasons for and importance of Tanganyika and Zanzibar union

The reasons of the Union Tanganyika and Zanzibar

·         People of Tanganyika and Zanzibar experience similar culture and historical experience. They had similar culture aspects such as Kiswahili language, dancing and building styles. They were involved in similar economic activities, For example trade before and after colonialism. Both African states suffered and experienced similar problems of colonial domination.

·         Security and defense to protect these two countries from being invaded by external enemies. The nature and location these two countries could create conducive environmental for enemies to destruct peace and security.

·         To consolidate cooperation and integration of people who lives in these two countries.

·         To avoid expansion of capitalism into Zanzibar. This is because capitalism was a threat to these two socialist countries, and the two were forced to join.

·         The spirit of Africanism was another threat for the union. The proponents of the union were influenced by Pan- Africanism. One among of the important goals of Pan Africanism was unity for all Africans. In the name of fulfilling this goal, it led to the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

Importance of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar

·         To facilitate free movement of people from one part of the Union to another, especially after removing the carrying of passport. This increases the contact of the people between the two parts hence consolidating their brotherhood. To enhance cooperation in economic activities. People from any part of the union can conduct trading activities freely. The union expands the market for the goods produced in the region.

·         To distribute the wealth due to existing natural resources: Each part has been benefiting from natural resources existing in any part of the nation. For example, hydro-electric power produced in the mainland benefit both sides of the nation.

·         Identity of African countries’ unity possibility. The union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar is good example that can be considered uniting Africa. It shows success in fulfilling the dreams and desire of black people. The Union has succeeding in creating strong Army and other state instruments which have responsibility to maintaine peace, defense and security.

Union Matters in the Government of United Republic of Tanzania

Identity union matters in the government of the United Republic of Tanzania

After the formation of the Union, there were matters referred to as union matters. These matters are twenty two as shown below.

1.       The constitution and the government of the united republic of Tanzania

2.       Foreign affairs and international cooperation (external affairs)

3.       Defense and security

4.       Police force

5.       Power to declare a state of emergency

6.       Citizenship

7.       Immigration

8.       External trade and borrowing

9.       Public services for united republic

10.    Income tax, Customs and excise duties

11.    Harbours, air craft, posts and telegrams

12.    Financial matters, legal tenders and currency

13.    Industrial licenses

14.    Higher education

15.    Mineral resources, including petroleum and natural gas

16.    National examination council and all matters relating to the council

17.    Aviation and air transport

18.    Research

19.    Meteorological matters

20.    Statistics

21.    Court of appeal of the United Republic

22.    Registration of political parties and other matters relating to political parties.

Non-Union matters

These are matters looked after by specific government apart from the union government. These include all matters which are not mentioned above. Among of the non-union matters are:

1.       Local government matters

2.       Road maintenance and travel

3.       Agriculture, livestock, fisheries and other means of livelihood

4.       Trade and small scale industries

5.       Prison

Challenges of the Union

Although the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar has existed for long, there are some challenges facing the union. For example, commodities bought in Zanzibar are taxed in Tanzania main land. This is because custom duties in Zanzibar are considered to be less compared to that of mainland. Some politicians demand for the presence of three governments- Tanganyika, Zanzibar and the Union government while others want to remain with only one government of The United Republic of Tanzania.

Strategies for Improving the Union's Stability

Suggest strategies for improving the union's stability

In order to strengthen the union, different strategies should be employed for the welfare of the entire nation in Tanzania. The following are some of the strategies which would enhance the unity between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

·         We should consolidate cooperation in cultural affairs such as sports and games by introducing the union cup. There should be encouragement in trade between the people of Tanzania main land and Zanzibar

·         Free movement of people within the member countries must be ensured. This will make people to feel that they are together in the same country and consider themselves as relatives.

·         The presence of a ministry in the president’s office to deal with the union should maintain fairness and justice. Leaders of the both sides of the union should frequently and seriously meet and discuss different issues regarding the central government.

Exercise 3

A. Use the words in the box below to answer the questions that follow.

duties, ward, government, cities, peace

·         The system in which local authorities are in charge of the administration of districts and urban centers is called local --------------

·         District authorities are made up of the ‘village government, _______ and the district councils.

·         Urban authorities are in charge of towns and ___________

·         One of the functions of local government is maintaining ________________order.

·         Local governments get revenue by charging ___________

Exercise 4

B. Write “T” for the true statements and ‘F for false statements.

·         Local authorities ensure peace and order in their areas.

·         Students can participate in the functions of local government by planting trees.

·         Ward governments are made up of village governments and district councils.

·         Building schools is part of the development expenditure of local government authorities.

·         The city director is appointed b) the district council.

Exercise 5

C. Match the statements in Column A with those in Column B.

Column A	Column B
1.       The smallest unit of local government 2.       The ward development councils 3.       The district councils 4.       Examples of municipal councils include 5.       Municipal councils	·         a) are in charge of towns. ·         b) Dodoma and Morogoro. ·         c) is the village government ·         d) develop general plans for the ward ·         e) submit by-laws to the Local Government Minister

 

 

DEMOCRACY

Types of Democracy

Meaning of Democracy

Explain the meaning of democracy

The term democracy comes from the two Greek words, demos which mean people, and kratos which means power. Therefore, in Greek, the word democracy means the rule of the people; it is the system where by the population of a given society controls the government. Abraham Lincoln, the 19th USA’s president, defined democracy as the government of the people, by the people for the people.

Of the people means that people are sovereignty and that the government derives its power and authority from them. For the people means that the government is there to serve the interest of the people and by the people means that people should have the power and right to choose leaders who are to govern on their behalf. These leaders are all representatives of the entire society.

Generally, democracy can be defined as the form of government in which people rule. Majority of people have supreme (highest) political power to make decisions in the country

Also democracy can be defined as asystem of government in which all people in a country can vote to elect their representatives. In a democracy, the government receives its power from the mandate of its citizens. Citizens agree to be ruled by the government because this is apractical and convenient way of running the country for the benefitof all.

Principles of Democracy

Analyse the principles of democracy

Basic principles of democratic governments

1. Citizen participation

Citizen participation means the involvement of citizens of the country in different affairs, including:

·         Voting in elections.

·         Being informed about community or civic meetings.

·         Being members of private voluntary organizations.

·         Paying taxes.

·         Be aware ofpublic issues.

·         Discussing public issues.

·         Working in campaigns.

·         Contributing to political parties

·         Circulating and signing petitions.

2. Equality

Democracy values all individuals equally. This means people have equal opportunities and may not be discriminated against because of their race, religion, ethnic group or gender. Democracy allows an individual or groups the right to have different cultures, personalities, languages and beliefs.

3. Political tolerance

Democratic societies are politically tolerant. This means that while the minority of the people rules, the rights of the majority is protected. People who are not in power are allowed to organize themselves and speak out because they may have ideas which are different from those of the leaders. Individual citizens must also learn to tolerate each other.

4. Accountability

Democracy makes leaders accountable to the people. Leaders are responsible for their actions. They make decisions and work according to the will and wishes of the people.

5. Transparency

A transparent government holds meetings and allows citizens to attend, express their views and ask questions. In democracy, the press and the people are able to get information about what decisions are made, by whom and why. An accountable government makes people aware of what is happening in the country.

6. Regular free and fair elections

Electing officials to represent people in government regularly is a way of expressing the citizens’ will. Officials are chosen and removed from office in a free and fair manner. Corruption and threats to citizens during or before an election are against the principles of democracy.

7. Economic freedom

Democratic societies allow people to have economic freedom. The government allows private ownership of goods and services. People are allowed to engage in any legal work. They are also allowed to join labour unions. The government lets people debate national issues.

8. Control of the abuse of power

Democratic societies try to prevent any elected officials or groups of people from misusing or abusing their power. The power can be abused through corruption or use of public funds for their own benefit, e.g. accepting money or gifts so as to provide services in an illegal manner.

9. Bill of Rights

A Bill of Rights is a list of rights and freedoms guaranteed to all people in the country’s Constitution. The courts of law have the power to enforce these rights. Democracy emphasizes the value of every human being. Examples of rights include freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, the right to equality and the right to education.

10. Multiparty

Every democratic country allows the existence of more than one political party. The political parties must participate in elections and play a role in government. A multiparty system allows the party which wins the general election to form the government.

When multiparty politics prevail in a state, they make the government constantly concerned about serving the people. The opposition parties challenge and correct the government.

11. The Rule of Law

The rule of law is the situation where all members of society, including the leaders, accept and respect the authority of the law. No one is above the law.All people are equal before the law. Everyone must obey the laws and be accountable if they abuse it. The rule of law insists that the law be equally, fairly and consistently enforced.

12. Accepting the results of elections

Elections are one of the components of democracy. In any contest, there must be winners and losers. Sometimes, those who lose in an election think that their candidate is the best and refuse to accept the results. Refusing the results is against democratic principles. This may result in violence, which is also against democracy. To make people accept the results of elections, the elections must be free and fair.

Types of Democracies

Differentiate types of democracies

There are two types of democracy; direct and indirect.

1. Direct democracy or participatory democracy

This is a political system where the people vote on government decisions. It is called ‘direct’ because the power of making decisions is exercised by the people directly, without representatives.

All adult citizens participate in decision-making on matters brought for discussion. Every important issue is put before an assembly of all citizens for a vote. Direct democracy can only be practiced in countries with a small population. Switzerland is the only country in the world which practices direct democracy. Every Swiss citizen votes on national matters and can challenge laws passed as well as propose amendments to laws. In many countries, it is impossible for every citizen to take part directly in all governmental decision-making because of very large populations. We can observe some of the elements of direct democracy in our country e.g. in local governments, small communities, tribes, clans or families. In these groups, every adult is allowed to come together and vote on certain issues. This is direct democracy at the local level.

Features of direct democracy

·         Societies have enough freedom to make their own decisions.

·         People directly contribute to government decisions.

·         All votes have equal weight.

·         All adult citizens have the fight to vote on all national issues.

2. Indirect or representative democracy

This is a political system whereby people elect representatives instead of voting directly on most government decisions. Citizens elect people to serve in parliament and executive positions. These representatives convey the interests and desires of their constituents by participating in governmental processes.

Representation can also be in different groups in the community. Members of the community elect persons to represent them and give them power to decide on their behalf.In representative democracy, citizens participate indirectly by electing village councilors, members of parliament and the President.

At the school level, students elect their representatives to the school government. For example, a class monitor may represent his or her class in the school government.

Features of indirect democracy

·         Elected leaders or representatives are removed through elections organized constitutionally and periodically. Tanzania conducts elections after every five years.

·         All adult citizens have the right to vote or be voted for in an election.

·         People have freedom of assembly, worship, press, opinion and association as long as they abide by the laws of the country.

·         The elected body governs according to the wishes of the majority.

·         There is competition among political parties.

Types of indirect democracy

(a) Parliamentary democracy

This is a type of indirect democracy whereby voters elect representatives to be members of parliament. Members of parliament in turn choose a person to head the Cabinet. That head of Cabinet is called a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in parliament. He or she chooses Cabinet ministers from the Parliament.

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet remain in office as long as there is majority support in the parliament. The members of parliament have the power to force the Prime Minister to resign through a vote of no confidence. If they vote against the Prime Minister, then he or she must resign and a new Prime Minister is elected by Parliament. Ethiopia, India and the United Kingdom are examples of countries run by parliamentary democracy.

(b) Presidential democracy

This is a form of representative democracy whereby the parliament and Cabinet are independent organs. Voters elect representatives to a Parliament. They also elect the head of the Cabinet that is the president. The president holds office for a fixed item. In a presidential democracy, the president does not directly control the parliament so the two can check each other’s power. This is called a system of checks and balances.

In this type of democracy the President may come from one political party while the majority members of parliament come from another political party. Tanzania follows this system.

(c) Combined parliamentary and presidential democracy

This is the type of democracy whereby the president is elected by the people while the prime minister is elected by the members of parliament.

An example of a country which has combined parliamentary and presidential democracy is France. Tanzania is a parliamentary system which is described as, ‘hybrid’ between the America presidential system and the British system of parliamentary democracy. The advantages of this system are that the branches of the state checks and balance each other; hence there is clear separation of power.

Assessing whether Tanzania implements Democracy in accordance with the Principle of Democracy

Assess whether Tanzania implements in accordance with the principle of democracy

The implementation of democracy in Tanzania

Tanzania is a country which implements democracy in various ways, including the following:

1.       Political freedom-Tanzanians who qualify to vote may stand for election. In addition, citizens attend community or civic meetings and are members of political parties.

2.       No discrimination-There is no discrimination of people due to their race, religion, ethnic group or gender. We are all equal.

3.       Tolerance-The opposition parties are tolerated and protected. Citizens are also required to be tolerant of each other.

4.       Free and fair elections-There are fair and free elections. Elections are held regularly, after every five years.

5.       Economic freedom-From 1985 to date, the government of Tanzania has allowed freedom of economy and private ownership. Individuals are allowed to own property and businesses. People are allowed to choose their own work and join labour unions.

6.       Multipartism-Multiparty politics was reintroduced in 1992. Since then, many political parties have been established which participate in different political affairs.

7.       Legal rights-In democratic elections, the losers respect the results. In case there is dissatisfaction, one may demand his or her rights through a court of law.

8.       Equality before the law-In Tanzania, no one is above the law. People are equal before the law. If there is violation of any law, people are allowed to demand justice through a court of law

9.       Rule of law-Tanzania controls abuse of power. The government has established organizations to facilitate the rule of law. Examples are the Human Rights and Good Governance Commission and the Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau (PCCB). These organizations help to protect people against abuse of power. Therefore, the rights and freedoms of the people are guaranteed.

Weaknesses of democracy

Democracy has shortcomings to individuals and the society as well. The following are some of the weaknesses of democracy.

1.       Unfairness, This can come about through the implementation of the majority’s decision and leaving out the minority’s decision. Sometimes, the minority’s decisions are also good.

2.       Poor representation, Delegation and representation are elements of democracy. Sometimes, those elected to represent others are incapable of dealing with technical issues. The result will be poor representation.

3.       Need for literacy, Some members of society are illiterate;they do not bow their rights, especially those rights which are denied by their leaders. Illiterate people do not know the power limits of their leaders. Such people may elect rulers who are incapable under the umbrella of democracy. Those who are in power take advantage of the ignorance of these people to mistreat them.

4.       Time-consuming, In the democratic societies, much time is spent to reach decisions even though the matter in discussion may need a quick solution.

Difference between Democratic and Non-democratic Government

Differentiate democratic from non-democratic government

Non-democratic governments

These are forms of government which do not exercise democracy. The rulers exercise their power without limits. Dictatorship is the ruling system whereby all powers rest in the hands of a few people or one person. Dictatorship governments have similar characteristics but there are slight differences in the way they operate in different countries. The following are some of the forms of dictatorship:

1.       Autocracy is a type of dictatorship in which a single person has unlimited power. He or she can do whatever he or she wants. In this form of dictatorship, the judiciary is not allowed to function independently and the people do not enjoy civic liberties. Political power is monopolised by one person or a small group of people. The rule of the elite is justified only on the basis of traditions, force or a coup.

2.       Totalitarianism is a type of government in which all powers are in the hands of one political party which dominates every aspect of human life. Those who are in power believe that no citizen has any right to challenge their authority. Leaders control power and all administrative apparatus. The services of secret forces and intelligence police are used to find out those who try to raise their voice of dissent from official views. Examples of dictators of this type were Benito Mussolini of Italy and Adolf Hitler of Germany.

3.       Caesarism is a government that is controlled by military or imperial dictatorship.

4.       Fascism is a government with strict and severe rules. It suppresses the opposition through tenor and censorship.

Differences between democratic and non-democratic governments

Democratic government	Non-democratic government
1.       Respects human rights. 2.       Decisions are made by the majority. 3.       There is political competition. 4.       Citizens delegate their power to their representatives willingly. 5.       The state is accountable to the citizens. 6.       Rulers remain in power for a specific period of time.	1.       Human rights are not respected. 2.       Decisions are made by the minority Or one person. 3.       There is no political competition. 4.       The citizens’ power is grabbed by the minority forcefully. 5.       The rulers are in power for their personal interests. 6.       Rulers remain in power for a longtime, even for life.

Common Features of Multiparty Democracy

Analyse common features of multiparty democracy

Multiparty democracy is a political system in a country where many political parties are operating legally. Each political party has the aim of taking power through democratic election and forming the government.

A political party is a group of people legally organized and registered for the purposes of forming a government.

In order to have a multiparty democracy, more than one political party must participate in elections and play a role in government. A multiparty democracy allows an opposition party to win the election. The following are features of multiparty democracy.

·         Citizens express their political views openly. The national Constitution states the right to form opposition political parties and encourages the citizens to express their political views openly.

The opposition parties act as a watchdog over the ruling party.

·         Human rights are respected so citizens are free to express themselves. There is freedom of press, freedom of association, freedom of worship and the right to join political parties of one’s choice.

·         Public accountability and transparency is promoted. Multiparty democracy is one way of checking the abuse of power in government.

·         Multipartism is tolerant. It tolerates group’s and individuals’ views.

·         There is a high level of citizen participation in political affairs. They can vote and be voted for.

·         Citizens are allowed to form pressure groups or nongovernmental organizations(NGOs).

·         The actions of the state are kept constantly responsive to social and political needs.

Historical background of multiparty democracy in Tanzania

Our country reintroduced multiparty democracy in 1992. This is not first time our country is experiencing this system of politics.

At the time of resisting colonial rule, Tanganyika had multiparty democracy. The political parties that existed at that time were United Tanganyika Party (UTP), African National Congress (ANC), All Muslim National Union of Tanganyika (AMNUT) and Tanganyika African National Union (TANU).

It was the same in Zanzibar. Before her partial independence in 1963, the political parties in Zanzibar were Afro-Shiraz Party (ASP), Zanzibar Nationalist Party (ZNP), Zanzibar and Pemba People’s Party (ZPPP) and the short-lived UMMA party.The parties were well-organized, strong and very active in both Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Every political party was doing what was expected by its members.

The 1965 constitutional changes created a one party state in both Tanganyika and Zanzibar. In Tanganyika, TANU was the only political party while ASP was the only party in Zanzibar. From 1965 to 1992, Tanzania did not have a multiparty system. Now, we have the following registered political parties in Tanzania:

·         Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM)

·         Civic United Front (CUF-Chama cha Wananchi)

·         Chama cha DemokrasianaMaendeleo (CHADEMA)

·         Tanzania Labour Party (TLP)

·         National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR-Mageuzi)

·         United Democratic Party (UDP)

·         Chama cha HalcinaUstawi (CHAUSTA)

·         JahaziAsiliaProgressive Party of Tanzania (PPT-Maendeleo)

·         Democratic Party (DP)

·         Tanzania Democratic Alliance (TADEA)

·         SautiyaUmma (SAU)

·         National League for Democracy Party (NLDP)

·         National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA)

·         DemokrasiaMakiniForum for Restoration of Democracy (FORD)

·         Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD)

Activity 1

Visit the offices of different political parties which are near your school.1. Ask the officials when the parties were formed and what the parties’ goals are.2. Ask them to give you the organizational structure of their parties.3. Ask them the names of the current leaders of their parties.4. Ask them to explain what the symbols and colours of their flags represent.

How a Student can Participate in Democratic Activities in the Society

Explain how he/she can participate in democratic activities in the society

Participation in democratic activities is the fight and duty of everyone. Students’ participation can make a difference in how democracy works in their country.

Students’ participation in democracy may take many forms including

·         Standing for election, e.g. for school or club leadership positions.

·         Voting for leaders or issues in school or club elections. Students who qualify should also participate in civic and national elections.

·         Joining a political party, if one qualifies to do so.

·         Taking part in the work of a political party.

·         Staying informed about what is happening in Parliament.

·         Participating in youth organizations in the community.

·         Debating matters relating to democracy.

·         Helping to educate the community on their democratic rights, e.g. through skits and songs.

·         Attending community or civic meetings.

·         Expressing their opinions, e.g. in their peer groups or schools.

Democratic Election

Election is the process of choosing a person by vote, especially for political positions. During elections, citizens are given an opportunity to choose a person to lead them.

Meaning and Indicators of Democratic Elections

Explain the meaning and indicators of democratic elections

Democratic elections are elections where participants are treated equally, electoral laws are fair to all contestants and there is political tolerance. People are free to give their views, take part in campaigns, assemble and share ideas.

Sometimes, political parties and the government do not tolerate the political activities of others. In this situation, free and fair elections cannot be achieved.

Indicators of democratic elections

Free and fair election campaigns

The government allows freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association. Election campaigns are a series of political meetings designed to win voters for a certain candidate, political party or proposal. In these meetings, candidates present their policies, promises and programs. In free and fair election campaigns, citizens are free to ask questions on issues that need elaboration from the contestants. This enables them to make the right choices in the election. Political parties should not disrupt each other’s’ campaigns and the government should allow opposition parties to hold campaigns freely.

All political parties are given equal opportunities

The political parties and their nominees must be heard equally. The mass media gives equal coverage to all candidates of different political parties. TV and radio stations air the views of candidates equally. The print media, e.g. newspapers and journals, also publicize the policies of political parties. The government in power allows opposition parties to operate freely.

Code of ethics for elections

This is an agreement between the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the government and political parties. The purpose of this agreement is to sustain fairness, mutual understanding and tolerance among stakeholders, and guarantee peace and tranquility throughout the electoral process. Three areas are addressed in the code of conduct. These are:

·         Ethics for political parties

·         Candidates

The following are supposed to be done by political parties and candidates during the campaign.

·         All should respect the right of other parties and candidates to exist and to conduct campaign meetings.

·         All should adhere to programs laid out by the NEC and its agents for the coordination of political meetings.

·         Public meetings should be conducted between 8.00 am, and 6.30 p.m.

·         Loudspeakers should only be used between 7:00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m.

·         Campaign material and publications should be vetted by the NEC (for presidential candidates) or returning officers (for other candidates).

·         Parties and presidential candidates should use the procedures and modalities laid out by the NEC when using the public media.

·         Party leaders must make plans to educate and supervise supporters so that they do not disrupt peace.

·         Parties and their supporters should respect the environment when posting or distributing materials.

·         Campaign meetings should be peaceful and without religious, tribal, ethnic or sexual discrimination. They should be conducted in Swahili and a translator used where Swahili is not understood.

·         Parties should not use religious sites to hold meetings or solicit religious leaders to campaign on their behalf.

·         Meetings should be used to publicize policy and not to create hatred, confrontation or division amongst Tanzanians.

Importance of Democratic Elections

Explain the importance of democratic elections

Democracy allows people to vote. It is therefore the responsibility of every qualified citizen to vote. People often vote because they want to bring about change. Electing a different political party or candidate to office can change the type of government.

The following are reasons why democratic elections are important:

·         They enable people to choose officials in political parties, and the central government or local governments.

·         Elections strengthen democracy in a country as the leadership is changed peacefully.

·         The country gets an acceptable government.

·         Through elections, the most popular representatives and party are put in power.

·         Through referendum, people vote for or against specific issues. This helps to decide on important issues in the country

·         They guarantee continuous representation and accountability of elected leadersto the society

Assessing whether there are Free and Fair Elections in Tanzania

Assess whether there are free and fair elections in Tanzania

The following are some indicators of free and fair elections in Tanzania:

1. Elections

·         Elections in Tanzania are held after every five years as per the Constitution.

·         There are many political parties that compete in elections for different vacant seats in the local and central governments. All these parties are treated equally.

·         Every citizen has a right to vote if she or he qualifies.

·         Voting is done secretly. There is no one who is forced to vote for a candidate against his or her choice.

·         There are electoral campaigns in Tanzania. All contestants are given enough time to visit their areas of election. They publicize their policies and allow citizens to ask questions.

·         There is civic education for voters. This enables voters to be aware of their constitutional rights in voting.

·         There is political tolerance.

·         Results are respected. Those who have not won respect the results of the elections.

·         Election petitions are allowed. This is a means by which the election of a member of parliament or a councilor may be challenged in a court of law

2. Election procedures

In Tanzania, there is an electoral commission which is responsible for general elections. Its main duties are to:

·         Supervise and coordinate the registration of voters in presidential, parliamentary and civic elections in the United Republic of Tanzania.

·         Supervise and coordinate the conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

·         Review the boundaries and demarcate the United Republic into various areas for the purposes of parliamentary elections.

·         Perform other function in accordance with the law

3. Conditions for candidates in general elections

Candidates are citizens who contest a seat in the elections. The candidate must qualify as per the provisions of the national constitution.

Conditions for presidential candidates

·         Be a citizen of the United Republic of Tanzania by birth.

·         Have attained the age of 40 years.

·         Be a member of and a candidate nominated by a political party be qualified to be a member of parliament or a member of the House of Representatives.

·         Should not have been convicted by any court for the offence of evading tax.

·         Be nominated by 200 supporters who are registered voters from each of ten regions, two of which must be in Zanzibar.

Conditions for parliamentary candidates

·         Be a citizen aged 21 years or above, and can read and write in Kiswahili and English.

·         Be a member of and sponsored by a political party

·         Have not less than 25 sponsors who are registered as voters in the relevant constituency

·         Make a statutory declaration that he or she has all the qualifications required for being a candidate.

·         Deposit TSH 50,000 with the National Electoral Commission.

·         Should not have been convicted by any court for the offence of evading tax.

Conditions for voters

a.       Be a citizen of Tanzania.

b.       Be registered as a voter.

c.        Be 18 years or above.

d.       Be a person of sound mind.

e.        Not have been detained in lawful custody within the preceding five years.

Activity 2

Ask your parents or relatives the following questions.1. Have they attended any political meeting? Why?2. Have they voted in any election? Why?3. Do they think the elections conducted in Tanzania are free and fair? Why?

Demonstrating a Spirit of Tolerance by Accepting Constructive Criticism and Defeat

Demonstrate a spirit of tolerance by accepting constructive criticism and defeat

Before elections

Registration is the process of being identified as a voter. A voters card must be obtained before voting. The purpose is to make sure that no one votes twice and that each voter is eligible to vote. Tanzania introduced permanent voters’ registers in January, 2000.

Before voting the citizens register themselves in the voters’ registers so as to be assured of voting on the voting day. In this process, citizens should allow all people qualified to register as voters in a given area to do so. They should not try to stop some people from registering for fear that the said people will not support their candidate.

Campaigns are carried out as part of the initial election activities. During this time candidates of different parties hold meetings to tell people about their party and convince people to vote for them. This is one of the most charged stages of the election period. Citizens should accept that people hold different opinions and ideas. They should not try to force their ideas and opinions on others as this might lead to conflict. In case they disagree with the opinions and ideas of others, then they should express this peacefully.

Polling day

Polling day is the day on which people vote in an election. The following takes place on polling day

·         Once voters arrive at the polling station, they present their voters’ cards. Their names are checked in the voters’ register

·         Voters are given the ballot paper on which they cast their votes. They go into the voting booth. This is the place where they make their mark on the ballot paper.

Voters carefully read the ballot paper and place a mark (usually √) next to the party or candidate for whom they wish to vote for

·         All votes are secret in the voting booth. There is no one allowed to see where the voter marks the ballot paper.

·         Voters place the folded ballot papers into the sealed ballot boxes.

·         The voters’ fingers are marked with a dye by an official. This is to make sure that each person votes only once.

The voters show tolerance by obeying the orders and procedures of voting. They do not quarrel with each other even if they support different political parties or candidates. They do not, in any way try to stop any genuine voter from voting.

Vote counting

When voting is over at the polling stations, counting of votes begins. A designated official breaks the seal of the ballot box and opens the box in front of political parties’ agents and neutral monitors. Sometimes international monitors (observers) are present. Each ballot paper is examined and counted by a ballot clerk with the monitors watching and checking on the counting. The spoilt ballot papers are kept aside.

Tolerance is shown during this stage when the monitors and agents do not unnecessarily disrupt the counting process. As long as the process is transparent, the officials should be allowed to carry out the counting without disruptions. In case of a dispute, this should be solved amicably without using force or violence.

Declaration of the results

The results are announced on the spot. Party agents sign special result forms to confirm they have witnessed the vote counting process and accept the result. A copy of the results is posted outside the polling station. This is done to ensure transparency and avoid the possibility of election rigging. All results from the polling stations in a constituency are worked on by the area returning officer. He or she tallies them and announces the winner

Results for presidential elections are announced by the chairperson of the National Electoral Commission.

In the spirit of tolerance, defeated candidates should accept the results. Their supporters too, should accept the results. They should not engage in any form of violence against the winner and his or her supporters. The winners should also be humble in their win and avoid angering those who have lost.

By-elections

These are elections which may be held to fill parliamentary or councilors seats which become vacant between general elections. By-elections are conducted when any of the following takes place.

·         A Member of Parliament or councilor dies.

·         A Member of Parliament or councilor resigns.

·         Parliament is dissolved before the end of its lifetime.

·         A member of parliament fails to discharge his or her duties.

Exercise 1

B. Answer the following questions.

·         Show four indicators of the implementation of democracy in Tanzania.

·         List three differences between democratic and non-democratic governments

Define the following forms of governments:

a.       Autocracy

b.       Totalitarianism.

c.        Fascism.

·         Explain six principles of democratic governments.

·         What are the two types of democracy?

·         Mention the three types of indirect democracy.

·         What are the features of direct democracy?

·         Mention five reasons why non-democratic governments are said to be a bad system of governance.

·         List down any four advantages of elections you have learned

·         What is the different between mono-party and multi-party political system?

Exercise 2

A. Choose the statements from list B that match with list A

List A	List B
1.       Democracy 2.       Political freedom 3.       Time-consuming 4.       Direct democracy 5.       Parliamentary democracy	a.             one weakness of democracy b.             one type of democracy c.             a system of government m which all people of a country can vote to elect their leaders d.             one type of representative democracy

 

 

GENDER

The Concept of Gender

Meaning of Gender

Explain the meaning of gender

Gender refers to the state of being male or female. In this context, it refers to the social relationship between men and women. It is concerned with the roles and responsibilities of men and women in our families, communities and country.

Different Gender Concepts

Identify different gender concepts

Gender concepts

There are various concepts which are used in relation to the concept of gender. It is important to know how they interrelate or differ in the whole process of dealing with gender issues. These concepts are:

(a) Gender equality

Gender equality is the exercise of fairness and justice to all sexes without discrimination or considering whether one is born male or female. It is based on the belief that all people are equal and should therefore have equal access to opportunities and resources. It is practiced in giving equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities to women and men.

Activity 1

Are women and men treated equally in the community you come from? Why?

(b) Gender equity

Gender equity is based on the principle that measures should be taken to bridge the inequality between men and women. It is about giving priority to women in order to reduce the imbalance that already exists.

(c) Gender roles

A role is a duty or importance of a person or a group in a particular activity or area of life. Gender roles are, therefore, duties of a particular sex (male or female) as determined by a society.

Gender roles can be divided into reproductive and productive roles.

a.       Reproductive roles are the activities that include child-bearing and other domestic-related tasks. Some societies do not value reproductive roles because they have no economic return. However, these roles are very important for social and family stability

b.       Productive roles are the activities that men and women engage in to earn a living. These are valued in many societies because they contribute directly to the economy

c.        Gender stereotypingis to have a fixed idea about a community, group or person, but which is usually not true in reality. Gender stereotyping is whereby opinions are formed about what men and women are capable of doing. It reflects people’s attitudes and practices on gender division of labour. For example, some people believe that boys are more capable in science subjects than girls. This is gender stereotyping.

d.       Gender discriminationis a situation where one sex (male or female) is treated either better or worse than the other some traditions and customs discriminate against women and favour men. Women and girls are discriminated right from the family level. For example, some people do not believe that girls should go to school. As a result, there are differences in socio-economic and development activities.

e.        Gender analysis is a systematic effort to identify and understand the roles of women and men within a given society. It involves collection of gender-specific information and data from the community. This analysis is the first step towards making the gender-sensitive planning needed for promoting gender equality in the society.

f.        Gender mainstreaming is the taking into consideration gender issues in development activities at all levels, for example, making laws, policies and programs. It helps women and men to benefit equally from development projects.

g.        Gender blindness is the inability to know that there are different gender roles, gender responsibilities and a gender-based hierarchy. This leads to the failure to realize that policies, programs and projects can have a different impact on men and women.

h.       Gender balance is majorly a human resource concept. It is about ensuring that men and women participate equally at their work places.

Gender issues in the society

Gender issues are topics which arise for discussion because there existsinequality among the two sexes (male and female) in a society. The following are some of the gender issues in the society:

·         Bride price

·         Wife inheritance

·         Female genital mutilation

·         Male dominance in the family community and society

·         Unequal distribution of domestic or economic tasks between men and women.

·         Sexual harassment

Gender issues occur due to contacts with other societies, religions and types of education.

Negative socio-cultural practices

Culture refers to the totality of society’s way of life. It includes the customs, art, beliefs and social organization of a particular group of people. In different societies, there are socio-cultural practices that hinder equal participation between men and women.

1. Wife inheritance

To inherit means to receive something such as a house, car, farm or money from someone when he or she dies. Some societies in Tanzania regard women as property that can be inherited. In these societies, when a woman’s husband dies, another man - who is a member of her husband’s family - can inherit her.This practice dehumanizes women and contributes to the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

2. Female genital mutilation

Female genital mutilation is the removal of the outer part of the sexual organs of a woman. It is also called female circumcision. Some communities in Tanzania still practice female circumcision. It is taken as part of the initiation process in which girls are trained to become responsible women.

Female circumcision is a negative practice because

·         It can cause women to develop complications when giving birth.

·         The tools which are used for circumcision are not hygienic and are used on many people. Hence, the spread of HIV and AIDS is very likely.

·         Bleeding after circumcision can lead to anaemia or even death.

·         Many girls drop out of school after the initiation because they consider themselves mature women.

3. Early marriage

Early marriage is the marriage of people who have not yet reached the legal age for such a union. In Tanzania, this age is 18 years.

Early marriage leads to:

·         Dropping out from school, hence increasing illiteracy in the society.

·         Greater risk of death because the reproductive organs of the young mother are still immature.

·         Higher possibility of divorce and family instability as the couple has little knowledge on family affairs.

4. Discrimination against women

This is a situation whereby women are treated badly in comparisonto men. This is because of the traditions and customs that exist in some Tanzanian communities. For example, men are the heads of families and are also decision-makers. Women have no right to land, property, education and employment opportunities.

Socio-cultural practices which discriminate against women should be abolished. This is because if women are given a chance, they can contribute a lot to the family, community and society. They are as capable as men in any profession necessary for national development.

5. Cruelty/violence against women

Some Tanzanian communities have traditions and customs which give men power to oppress women. Domestic violence is becoming a major problem in many families. Some husbands beat their wives because their traditions and customs encourage this practice. Women are forced to endure this mistreatment because they are dependent on their husbands.

6. Regarding women as sex objects

Some societies in Tanzania regard women as sex objects. A woman has to remain at home so as to refresh a man when he comes from work. She is not allowed to work outside the home. These societies do not allow girls to get higher education, with the belief that it is a waste time and money because girls are married off to serve their husbands.

Corrective Measures against Negative Socio-Cultural Practices

Suggest corrective measures against negative socio-cultural practices

Though it is very important for a nation to maintain its culture, there are some negative socio-cultural practices which should be abandoned in order to bring equality between men and women in the society.

Therefore, corrective measures should be taken jointly by the government, community, family, non-governmental organizations and individual citizens on the following aspects:

1.       Empowerment of women: Women should be given a chance to make decisions and exercise their rights.

2.       Mass education: People should be educated about the dangers of negative socio-cultural practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation. This will make people aware of the harm caused by these practices.

3.       Enhancing the existing laws on women’s rights: The government should enhance these laws to enable women to participate in the same socio-economic activities as men. For example, women should be able to own and inherit properties like land, houses and business so as to have a strong economic base.

4.       Use of mass media: Radio, television and newspapers can be used to educate and give people information concerning negative cultural practices and their effects in the society.

5.       Adjust the school curriculum: Students should be made to understand the dangers of negative cultural practices. They should be taught the effects these practices have on the society and also what would be a better way of doing things.

6.       Special consideration should be given to women in education and politics as they have been lagging behind for a long time. They should be given special seats in parliament and given special provisions in admission for higher education.

Exercise 1

A. Write ‘T’ for a correct statement and ‘F’ for a wrong statement.

1.       Gender roles are the same in all societies --------

2.       Science subject for female students is a gender blind issue ------------

3.       Gender equality can be achieved by empowering women in Tanzania ---------

4.       Gender balance involves increasing the number of women seats in parliament ------

5.       The long term for TAWLA is Tanzania Women Land Association ------

Exercise 2

B. Fill in the blanks

1.       Write down two reasons why wife inheritance is not encouraged in our society

2.       List down four ways through which women’s right are violated in Tanzania

3.       Name five social culture practices which hinder the equal participation of men and women in the society.

4.       Distinguish between gender and sex

5. State the meaning of the following terms

·         Gender roles

·         Gender equity

·         Gender analysis

·         Gender discrimination

Exercise 3

1.       Gender oppression is the key to women dependence to men. Discuss

2.       In which ways is Tanzania implementing the process of enhancing gender equality?

3.       “Everyone in the society is born free “. Relate this statement with gender issues.

4.       Suggest any four collective measures that can be used to combat the out-dated socio-cultural practices in Tanzania.