Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Train Students On Job-hunting Skills

It is no secret that there is a widespread perception, right or wrong, that some Tanzanian graduates are being deliberately passed in favour of foreigners when it comes to job placements.

Part of the answer to the perception may lie in what the Government Communication Unit in the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat has said about graduates’ skills in the area of communication.

We have also heard of the fears that partly because of the above skill deficiencies, Tanzanians will not be able to fully exploit the opportunities being created by the ratification of free movement of labour in the East African Community partner states.

Riziki Abraham who heads the communication unit says despite having the required qualifications, most Tanzanian graduates fail to get jobs because their curriculum vitae are not written properly.

Worse still, the language skills of many of them leave a lot to be desired and contribute to many of them failing in interviews.

This is part of the problem facing many of our young graduates at the moment, for which they are not to blame.

They are not to blame because it will be remembered in past curricula grammar and writing skills were taught and practiced.

In the good old days, right from primary schools, pupils were taught letter writing, including how to apply for a job. This helped them a lot, for on leaving school they were able to write job applications to a number of offices or firms without much difficulty.

Indeed one of the toughest tests that boggled the minds of ‘graduates’, before completing primary school education in those days, was the oral interview.

For half an hour or so the pupil was grilled by a panel of teachers and tested in the art of answering questions for some minutes.

The teachers usually came from other schools. These tests infused confidence in the pupils in facing the outer world, instead of the familiar faces they were used to interacting with at their school on a daily basis.

Late as it is therefore the idea of equipping students with skills of writing job applications and CVs in higher learning institutions is more than welcome back. 

The problem needs to be urgently addressed because it is denying some of our graduates the opportunity to put to some use the knowledge they have gained.

We live in a world where possessing or lacking communication skills may actually seal the fate of someone who is otherwise highly knowledgeable.

The argument is that however much knowledge one may possess, without communication skills, that person will be at a disadvantage compared to a more eloquent, but less knowledgeable rival, in a race for the few jobs available.

Lest we forget language skills are a basic tool in the pursuit of any knowledge. It is at the elementary school that the building blocks of language skills are laid. It is at this level also that it is easy to start moulding pupils into skilled communicators.source the Guardian

Confusion in Constituent Assembly





 Constituent Assembly Chairman, Samwel Sitta

Several members of the Constituent Assembly have faulted Chairman Samwel Sitta’s appointments of the five members to the leadership committee.

They were speaking after the Civic United Front Chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba turned down his appointment by CA Chairman Sitta to the committee, blaming the ruling party for turning the CA into a CCM platform.

Prof Lipumba’s appointment to the streering committee was announced on Monday evening by the CA chairman Samuel Sitta who also named other members as Fakharia Khamis Shomar, Abuu Hamoud Jumaa, Mary Chatanda and Amon Mpanju.

Explaining his decision to turn down the appointment, Professor Lipumba said: “It seems the ruling party had already planned to maneuvre the constitution process by making sure almost all chairpersons constituting it are from CCM, and that no member from the opposition party was on the committee.

"The way I see it, is that if this trend continues we are not going to get the constitution of the people. At this juncture, chairman... I will not join the leadership committee; I don't like to be used by a group of people to attain their motives," he explained.

CA members who spoke said they were not satisfied with the election of committee chairpersons as majority of them are from the ruling party.

John Mnyika demanded clarification from the CA chairman on the leadership structure especially the criteria he used to appoint the five members who will join the twelve leaders chosen from the twelve committees.

Mnyika argued that the chairman’s appointment of the five members lacked equal representation for the Union and even the various groups in the assembly, because the majority was drawn from the ruling party (CCM).

"I am surprised that the leadership committee which is going to decide on sensitive issues such as the programme, the structure and  mode of voting does not comprise even one member from Chadema, which in fact it is the main opposition party in the country. This is a problem," Mnyika lamented.

Quoting regulation no 52 (2), a CA member, Mohamed Habib Mnyaa wanted to know why there are only three Zanzibaris elected as chairpersons.
"This has a big implication because from 19 members constituting the leadership committee, only four are from Zanzibar. And the regulation states that the vice chairman will only be allowed to enter the leadership committee if the chairman is absent."

"As you all know, the Union matter is a sensitive issue. How come Zanzibar is being represented by only four members and the majority of them are CCM." Is CA of CCM or for the United Republic of Tanzania?"

"This is what the Zanzibaris have been lamenting for years that they have been bulldozed in Union matters by the mainlanders. With this trend of bulldozing the Zanzibaris, we will not reach a consensus," he warned.

Another controversial CA member Kangi Lugora (CCM) said Chairman should ensure the minority are not swallowed by the majority (CCM).

"If we always say we should not swallow Zanzibar, why does CCM want to swallow the minority members in the CA?" Lugola asked.

Responding CA Chairman Samwel Sitta said not all decisions will be applauded by everyone, noting that one out of five members is from Zanzibar. 

He however said that it was not necessary that all opposition parties are representation. Sitta said in composing the committees he took into consideration both sides of the Union, gender, people with special needs and presence of members with knowledge of law as it is stated in section 55 of the Standing Orders.

 Sitta further said: "Such words like bulldozing Zanzibar are improper. Let us give chanced to the committee and see how it works and at the end of the day assess what they have done.”

He said the  proportion which some CA members are demanding  will never happen as the majority members constituting  assembly are from CCM and that is not the chairman's problem but because of ballots.

But speaking outside debating chamber here yesterday, CA member Rashid Hamad Mohammed said although Lipumba’s refusal was politically okay, he lost a golden chance to help Tanzanians.

 “This was a golden opportunity for him, because his party has many representatives in the CA. He could use his experience to contribute to the constitutional review,” he said.
Mohamed said Prof Lipumba could be used as a bridge that would convey a good message to both parties.
For his part a CA member Christopher Ole Sendeka said it was very difficult to satisfy every member of the assembly.

“The CA chairman has done what he was supposed to do. It was very difficult to appoint five members from various parties,” he said.

He urged all members to perform their duties according to the stipulated regulations which would ensure that Tanzanians finally get a good constitution.

Another CA member Victor Mwambalaswa congratulated Sitta for his decision, saying democracy has taken its course.

He said most of the elected members in various committees are from the ruling CCM because it has more members compared to the other parties.

“All committee leaders were elected by members so it was very difficult to go against the requirements,” he said.

Mwambalaswa allayed fears that the new constitution would not be available in time.
“It is our hope that this discussion on constitution review would be carried on as intended and we would get a new constitution in time,” he insisted.

Meanwhile barely a week after the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) Chairman Rtd Judge Joseph Warioba presented the second draft of the new constitution to the Constituent Assembly (CA); President Jakaya Kikwete has finally dissolved the commission.

However, the chairman, his vice or any other member of the dissolved commission might be requested to clarify some issues to the CA during discussions.

A statement from the Directorate of Presidential Communications to the media yesterday said the dissolution of the commission was with effect from March 19, 2014, just a day after Judge Warioba presented the second draft of the constitution to the CA.

The Constitution Review Act 83 as amended in 2013 gives powers to the President to dissolve the commission soon after presenting the constitution draft to the Constituent Assembly.
The statement said since CRC chairman Judge Warioba presented the second draft of the constitution to CA on March 18, 2014 and based on section 31 of the Constitution Review Act, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania dissolved the CRC on March 19 through government notice number 81 of March 21, 2014.

However, section 20(4) says the CA may invite the chairman, his vice or any member of the CRC to give clarifications on some matters.

“Despite the commission being dissolved…the secretary of the CA in collaboration with the CA Chairman can invite CRC chairman, his vice or any commissioner to give clarification that might be required during proceedings,” noted part of the statement.

On March 18, CA members convened to listen to Constitutional Review Commission Chairman Judge Warioba leading them through the second Constitution draft.

Judge Warioba failed to deliver his presentation on March 17 after some CA members calling themselves People’s Constitution Coalition (UKAWA) ‘systematically’ interrupted him, saying CA Chairperson Samwel Sitta had breached the Standing Orders by allowing Judge Warioba to table the draft before President Kikwete’s address. Sitta was forced to adjourn the proceedings on that account.source the Gurdian

Can tyranny of numbers deliver a people’s Law?




"I wasn’t in control of why members in different committees decided to vote the way the voted…I did not have any ill motives against the Opposition in coming up with these names. I nominated Prof Lipumba so he could represent the entire Opposition in the Steering Committee,’’ SAMWEL SITTA''

Dar es Salaam/Dodoma.  With Members  of Constituent Assembly (MCAs) from the ruling party dominating  crucial Katiba House committees, there are fears that the Constitution-making process may be anything but smooth.

Indeed, a number of  MCAs, including some from the ruling party, yesterday expressed fears that the making of the Constitution faces a bleak future and uncertainty. They were concerned about what some analysts have described as CCM’s move to control key Katiba committees.  So tense has the situation become that Prof Ibrahim Haruna Lipumba quit the Steering Committee on Tuesday, saying he was not ready to be “a rubber stamp”. The Steering Committee, which comprises six members, is chaired by CA Chairman Samuel Sitta, and plays an oversight role in all the committees.

Riding on the back of what a renowned Kenyan political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi famously described as the “tyranny of numbers”, the MCAs from the ruling CCM on Monday elected their cadres to chair 12 of the 14 committees.

In reaction, Mr David Kafulila of the opposition NCCR-Mageuzi remarked:  “It’s like we are here to prepare a constitution for the ruling party.”

According to the MP for Kigoma South, the MCAs solidly elected Mr Sitta to chair the assembly in the hope that he would be fair to all parties and groups. Urging him to rescind his appointments, Mr Kafulila added:  “It’s a pity that you have turned this assembly into a CCM meeting. You may be applauded by CCM members in this House but people watching what you’re doing  on TV will have a different view of your wisdom.”

Mr Kangi Lugola, a CA member from the ruling party, joined the bandwagon and urged Mr Sitta to revoke the appointment of the five nominees to the Steering Committee. If we are guided by the intention of making sure that Tanganyika does not swallow Zanzibar within the Union,” he asked, “why can’t we apply the same logic and ensure that CCM, being the major party, does not muzzle the other minority parties in this process?”

Tanzania Constitution Forum (TCF) official, Mr Hebron Mwakagenda, told members of the CA that they were not in Dodoma to compete on the basis on their political affiliation and they should remember that rewriting the constitution called for a national consensus. It will be very difficult to get a constitution that will be in the public interest, he added, if the MCAs behaved as though it was business as usual.