Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has told the country's human rights commission to monitor and respond to accusations of rights abuses against Tanzania. She spoke on Monday at Chamwino State House in Dodoma, Mwananchi reported. There she swore in four leaders and several commissioners she had recently appointed.
Angeline Mabula was sworn in as Regional Commissioner for Tabora. Dunford Mpelumbe became chairperson of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance, with Omar Ali Omar as vice chairperson. Retired Judge Wilfred Dyansobera took the oath as chairperson of the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration, along with its commissioners.
Samia said the current environment is difficult on human rights. According to Mwananchi, she said countries that perform well are sometimes accused of violating rights. Meanwhile, powerful countries that commit violations are praised for protecting them. She urged the new commission leaders, whom she described as young, to look at what is happening in the world. She asked them to study the accusations made against Tanzania and answer them.
She said the commission had long failed to carry out its duties properly and had mostly waited for complaints to arrive. In her view, it has a broader mandate to oversee human rights and good governance, both at home and abroad. She also asked it to handle citizens' complaints on time. Complaints involving rights violations should be passed to the relevant sectors, she said.
Turning to Mabula, Samia said she had no doubt about her ability. She cited Mabula's past roles as district commissioner, deputy minister, minister and MP. She told her to work with the leaders and staff she finds in Tabora. Her main task, Samia said, is to supervise government money sent to the region so that it solves people's problems.
On the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration, Samia said labour disputes have grown, especially in the private sector. She linked the rise to the government's moves to open up the economy and expand investment. She told Dyansobera and his team to apply the law without bias. They must protect the rights of both employers and employees so that disputes are settled fairly, she said.