Tanzania: Dual citizenship still a hot potato

Published: 8/Jul/2013
Source: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

By Frank Kimboy and Bernard Lugongo The Citizen Reporters

Dar es Salaam. The draft constitution’s failure to address the dual citizenship issue has drawn continued criticism.

People who spoke to The Citizen on various occasions last week said the matter was not given the weight it deserves in the draft, and wondered whether this was an oversight on the part of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) or a deliberate omission.

Many of Tanzanians, especially those living abroad, had their hopes of being allowed to have dual citizenship pinned on the process of rewriting the Constitution.

Their hopes have been boosted on a number of times by statements made by Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe who on sevsral occasions assured Tanzanians living outside the country that issues regarding dual citizenship would be addressed in the new Constitution.

But many Tanzanians were left wondering after the CRC chairman Joseph Warioba revealed that issues regarding dual citizenship were left out of the draft and would be handled by the entities making up the United Republic of Tanzania.  According to Mr Warioba, dual citizenship was among issues that would be determined by the laws of the country.

Read further: http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/national/Dual-citizenship-still-a-hot-potato/1840392-1908382-fhtom2/index.html

Themes: Dual Nationality
Regions: Tanzania
Year: 2013