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| Mr Freeman Mbowe, leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament and Chadema national chairman |
Dodoma. The Constituent Assembly (CA) has agreed that members should be sworn in individually.
But the decision will cost the taxpayers a
whopping Sh558 million in upkeep and special allowances for 620 members
for the three days they will be doing nothing but waiting to be sworn
in.
There will be an additional cost in pay for supporting staff whose number has not been made public.
The decision was reached after a fierce debate
during which some speakers proposed that delegates be sworn in
collectively to save time and money.
But then, others maintained that the oath was a personal commitment to be made by an individual.
Mr Freeman Mbowe, leader of the Official
Opposition in Parliament and Chadema national chairman, backed the
suggestion that members be sworn in collectively to save taxpayers’
money.
But Ms Anne Makinda, who is also the Speaker of
the National Assembly, rallied behind those calling for individual
swearing-in, saying an oath should be regarded as a personal commitment
made before God.
On Tuesday, the chairman of the Draft Standing
Orders committee, Prof Costa Mahalu, told the assembly that the team had
proposed that members take oath in three groups.
He said the committee made the decision after
considering the cost of swearing in more than 620 members one by one,
adding that the exercise could take at least three days.
Prof Mahalu said the committee suggested that
members take oath in three groups, namely those of: Muslims, Christians
and non-believers.
“We have considered this matter and come to the
conclusion that it will take us at least three days. It should be
remembered that we have not started to discuss anything regarding the
new Constitution. We suggest that taking the oath in groups is the best
option. This is only a suggestion; the final decision is in your hands,”
he said.
He added that the committee decided to adopt the system used by doctors and advocates, who take the oath in groups
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