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`Care needed before adoption of dual citizenship`
2007-04-12 10:25:51
By Christina Mwangosi
The government has been advised to exercise great care and caution in its decision to adopt dual citizenship to mitigate the inherent disadvantages in the systems which are by and large outweighed by the advantages.
Debating on dual citizenship, members of the academia and those from diplomatic circles observed that the changes in global scene dictate new ways to enable both foreigners with innovative ideas to become citizens, and nationals who have been `brain drained` to contribute to the development of the country.
Discussing a paper entitled ``Dual Citizenship and Social Economic Development``, Coordinator of Post Graduate Studies IDS, Dr. Peter Kopoka said the government has to adopt the dual citizenship system by setting some rules to control, and not otherwise. The paper was presented by Fabian Mahundu, IDS student,
Dr. Kopoka said, adopting the system would allow many children studying abroad to have a citizenship they have been denied for a long time. He said the world has now changed requiring new ways to cope with the existing situation.
``It’s necessary to adopt the system, although I agree with some disadvantages of the dual citizenship system, like the issue of taxation, security and other”, said Dr Kopoka.
Fabian Mahundu, IDS-student said in his paper that the the system should be based on the national interests rather than favouring outsiders with a profit motive.
``I agree that Tanzania`s dual citizenship and its role in social-economic development transformation remain critical to the discussion of alternative development courses in this era of globalization``, said Mahundu,
He cautioned that the reasons behind dual citizenship may tend to favour only few Tanzanians who live abroad, saying that those leading the debate are nationals wishing to invest rather than common Tanzanian nationals.
The adoption of any system requires serious preparations to avert fears on negative impact.
The government should put in place elaborate procedures, as well as checks and balances to arrest possible abuse, argued Jeremiah Ponela, an IDS - first year, student at the Dar es Salaam University.
The first US Embassy Secretary in Tanzania, Robert Hanning encouraged the government to consider the adoption of dual citizenship .
Sharing his experience on how USA adopted the dual citizenship, Hannang said that globalization compels countries including Tanzania to accept the dual citizenship because the two go hand in hand to enable people conduct their business freely.
``Dual Citizenship helps much in economic development, requiring people to move freely, from one place to another, to acquire what’s needed globally, economically, socially and politically.
It is time for Tanzanians to adopt the system under its own conditions, Hannang advised.
He said that every year at least 2000 Africans move from their original countries to the United States of America where they acquire the American citizenship.
A number of Africans are forced to move to USA following unfavourable labour environment they face in their home countries.
The Workshop Convener, Dr. Colman Msoka, said the adoption of the system will become a big challenge to both government and individuals, in matters related to immigration services, inheritance rights and transfer of wealth, taxation, education requirements and tax requirements of the two countries.
In his opening remarks, IDS Director Professor Betha Koda said the question of dual citizenship needed critical thinking since it touches on lives of the people and the nation.
Most of the contributors including lecturers, students and other invited guests, disagreed with the adoption of the system arguing that the system will endanger peace, security and livelihood of poor Tanzanians.
They said that it would increase pressure on land as in most cases these people may take advantage of their affluence to purchase land, leaving poor Tanzanians landless. zThe system may also put the nation at a high security risk, they added.
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