By DAILY NEWS Reporter, 29th December 2011 @ 11:05, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 2817
MINISTRY of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, has vehemently refuted claims by a former member of the recently launched committee that will oversee the process to get an official national dress that it has a hand in his court case.
Absalom Kibanda, who is the Managing Editor of Free Media, publishers of Tanzania Daima announced on Wednesday to pull out of the committee, citing injustice against him and connected the sports ministry with charges he is facing.
Kibanda is charged with inciting soldiers and police officers to mutiny. A statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson Jamali Zuberi on Thursday said: “The claims lack grounds and are completely unfounded.
It aims at spoiling the good relationship between the ministry and its stakeholders.
“According to the ministry responsibilities, it's not part of this ministry’s job to advise, investigate or to prepare case documents to prosecute.
It's important to know that this ministry, its leaders, its technocrats and civil servants have not taken part, have not been involved, neither advised nor been advised regarding accusations and allegations against Mr Kibanda,” reads part of the statement.
The statement reads further that the ministry has no objection with Kibanda’s decision to pull himself out of the committee. The eight people committee was appointed two weeks ago and its major task will be to involve the public to come out with the available proposals and eventually propose on the national dress that will act as one of the identities of Tanzania.
Launching the committee recently, Nchimbi said the committee has been given 75 days to conclude the process which started way back in 2004. The committee is expected to present its report to Nchimbi on 28th February, next year.
"The process to get a national dress is going on well, several local designers have been involved and offered their proposals," he said, adding that a research on how other countries got their national dress has already been done.
The committee members include Joseph Kusaga who will act as the Chairman and Angela Ngowi as the Secretary, Habibu Gunze, Joyce Mhavile, Mustafa Hassanali, Absalom Kibanda, Makwaia Kuhenga and Ndesambuka Merinyo.
He explained that the aim to have a national dress for both men and women was to reinforce the national identity as it is for other countries including Swaziland, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Mali and others.
The dress will also add up to other national identities such as the court of arm, national flag, the Uhuru torch, Kiswahili language, Kilimanjaro Mountain and the national anthem. The government through the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports started the process to get a national dress in 2004.
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