Local News

Political parties meeting starts on Tuesday

Mr James Mbatia

A FIVE-day meeting on legal framework governing political parties is due to start in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.

A conference hosted by Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD) in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance  brings together participants from 11 African countries.

The participants are from Kenya, Uganda, Mali, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Ghana, Mozambique, Burundi, Malawi, Tunisia and Tanzania.

Briefing reporters on Monday, TCD Chairman Mr James Mbatia said that the meeting, among other things, will highlight on how political parties in the continent are governed and how they are financed especially during general election.

"The meeting would help the participants to get time to share experience in multiparty democracy while giving ways forward on sustainability for democracy in African continent," Mr Mbatia said.

Mr Mbatia who is also the chairman of The National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR-Mageuzi) and Member of Parliament (Presidential Appointee) said that it was a privilege for the country to host such a crucial political dialogue.

He said that it was one of the indicators that multiparty democracy had gained momentum in the country.

Commenting on 20 years of multiparty democracy in the country, Mr Mbatia said that the ongoing new constitution writing exercise showed that democracy in the country has been successful, however, he advised on more deliberate efforts to strengthen it.