Debate on status of
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives yesterday defied the Speaker`s order and continued debating the Isles` status in the United Republic of Tanzania set-up.
House Speaker Pandu Ameir Kificho on Monday ordered the immediate suspension of debate on whether Zanzibar is a sovereign state, saying the issue was being dealt with jointly by the Union and Isles governments.
However, during yesterday`s debate on the 2008/09 budget estimates of the Isles Water, Infrastructure, Energy and Land ministry, legislators said it would not be fair to close the debate now because Zanzibaris want to be fully clear on the matter.
Salmin Awadh Salmin (Magomeni - CCM) recommended that the matter be taken to a constitutional court for clarification.
He said it was not proper to leave such a sensitive issue in the hands of the Union and Zanzibar attorneys general ``since the Union Constitution states clearly that problems relating to a constitutional matter are to be solved in a constitutional court``.
He said Article 126 of the 1977 Union Constitution states clearly that the matter would be solved by the constitutional court, while Article 4 of the 1984 Zanzibar Constitution identifies Zanzibar as a state.
``Article 9 of our (Zanzibar) constitution clearly states that Zanzibar is a democratic state.
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