CONSTITUTIONAL MAKING BY WHITE PAPER

The White Paper is essentially a British method of attempting to ascertain public opinion on a
specific issue of national importance. The White Paper system works in tandem with the Green
Paper system. Following receipt of public feedback, the government adds its own viewpoints to
those of the people before issuing a White Paper. As a result, a White Paper essentially contains
both the public's and the government's summarized views.

The Government White Paper was released in 1998, in part in response to the Nyayali Report's
recommendations. Following that, the Tanzanian government appointed Justice Kisanga to chair
a Committee to review the Union Constitution and make recommendations.

The White Paper outlined the government's stance on 19 issues, including, among others,
structure of the Union, powers of the executive, absolute majority requirement of winning the
presidency, challenging presidential election results, independent candidacy, proportional
representation; presidential nomination of members of Parliament, separation of powers, the 40
laws condemned by the Nyalali Commission, the issue of human rights and the entrenchment of
socialism and self-reliance as national ideologies

References

Article 7 of the Articles of the Union. The Articles of the Union and other relevant documents on the
Constitution are reproduced in Volume 3 of the Report of the Kisanga White Paper Committee.