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Law on public leaders` ethics up for review
2008-05-10 11:08:43
By Correspondent Austin Beyadi
National Assembly Speaker Samwel Sitta has called for a review of the legislation governing the public leadership code of ethics.
He has directed the Parliamentary Constitutional, Legal and Public Administration Committee to do the work, partly to see if there are any weaknesses in the legislation.
This is according to Daniel Eliufoo, Secretary to the Speaker, who told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the review follows public complaints that the law on public leaders` ethical conduct and practice had many defects.
The Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act, No. 13 of 1995, has recently come under scathing attack from several quarters, one of the complaints being that it contains provisions needlessly restricting public access to particulars regarding public leaders’ assets, interests and liabilities.
Eliufoo said the committee was expected to make a thorough review of the Act and come up with recommendations that would be tabled in the National Assembly.
Without giving any dates, he said the recommendations would then be presented to the government for further action.
``This is being done mainly to allow parliamentary standing committees to be proactive in helping the National Assembly find solutions to the various problems society is facing.
This is expected to help the House execute its constitutional obligations more efficiently and effectively,`` explained Eliufoo.
He added that all House committees would be given tasks related to their basic duties and responsibilities whenever there is anything over which society has raised concern.
The law requires public leaders to declare their assets, interests and liabilities within 30 days after assuming office but there have been problems with compliance.
Five human rights organisations filed a petition in the High Court last month to challenge the constitutionality of some provisions in the Act.
The Commissioner of the Secretariat of the Leadership Ethics Commission has powers to deny members of the public permission to inspect the assets, interests and liabilities declaration register if not satisfied with the genuineness of such request or dissatisfied with the intention of the request.
The law also bars information obtained from the register from being published, broadcast or communicated to the public.
In their petition, the human rights bodies want the court to declare that information on public leaders` assets, interests and liabilities can be published provided that such publication respects the rights and reputation of the leaders concerned.
The commission is one of the wings of the President’s Office.
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