News and Comment
Dreams of ‘Freedom’ and ‘Separation of Power'

News:

Recently the media outlets reported that the Tanzanian government curtailed Tanzania Broadcasting Cooperation (TBC) from airing live the Parliamentary sittings by alleging of the exorbitant cost of airing.

Comment:

This stand by the government has been condemned and refuted by the citizens and various institutions in the country especially those that allege to champion human rights. This issue is an attempt by the government to conceal its disgrace and sins that seriously destroyed the previous government.

This issue is an insult and taunt to the citizens in general. Also it’s a sign of weakness, dictatorship and fear by the government which claims to care for its citizens. TBC is a public institution meant to serve the public and remain running by public coffers. At the same time the government is hoodwinking the public that is at the forefront to improve the service delivery to its citizens and to fight laziness. Surprisingly, this government is failing to conceptualize and understand that one of the primary services to the citizens is convenient and timely access to information especially political and government related information. The claim that the cost is exorbitant is myopic and unjustifiable. This applies to the curtailing of other primary services’ delivery. 

This event has cast aspersion on the democratic system which alleges to guarantee “freedom of expression”. Instead, this freedom is championed effectively only when it does not contravene and jeopardize the interests of the government and politicians. But, they said freedom is disregarded and discarded despite anchoring in their constitutions which claims to be one of the primary rights to the citizens to receive, seek and be informed on any information that relate to their lives.

On the other hand, this scenario exposes and depicts clearly the non-existent reality of the claim of ‘separation of power’ and independence between the three arms of state that is the Executive, Parliament and Judiciary. The claim shall remain a delusion and unrealistic since its inception by the French thinker Baron de Montesquieu in the year 1748 until the end of day.

We witness the executive restriction of Parliamentary activities by limiting their airing of its sessions live on television. Even after the executive declared their stand despite fierce opposition from some members of parliament, the executive went ahead and deployed police officers in parliamentary precincts to restrain differing members of parliament. That act led to condemnation by various democratic stakeholders who stated that it was an act of infringement of Parliamentary rights and hampering of its functioning and powers.

Every sane person understands that democracy is anchored on dream-thoughts which have no reality. That is the reason we are facing upheavals across the world. Humanity is sacred therefore needs the sacred ideology that is anchored on reality and that is Islam only.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Masoud Msellem
Deputy Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in East Africa