Sunday, July 24, 2011

Is dual citizenship real good for the country?

I am still not very sure if it is good for the law to allow Tanzanians hold dual citizenship starting the end of the year, as the Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation minister Bernard Membe said.Although he tried to explain why the new law would not harm the country, I still suspect that very few Tanzanians will benefit.I understand that some African countries have been granting dual citizenship to their people, but that is not reason enough to force us do the same.
Of course Tanzanians living abroad will receive the news with joy, as they will benefit by belonging to both their host countries and their motherland.I wonder if there was real a thorough research before introducing this law. I take it to be like one person is being granted two sir names, how can he or she be identified. 

Imagine, when such a person commits a crime, when you want to punish him here, he will run to the embassy of his second country and he will be left free, because his other country will protect him. The same thing might also happen when he is in that other country.This law is very tricky and perhaps, more should have been looked at before the country accepts it in full.
I have been trying to understand how on earth, we are going to benefit as the country and individuals, if we adopt the law to enable our fellow Tanzanians living abroad to have dual citizenship.I have no problems with tapping the great economic potential of the Tanzanians overseas, but can’t they continue doing the same without having dual citizenship?

The Dual Citizenship Act, would give those abroad the right to adopt the citizenship of their host countries while maintaining their Tanzanian nationality.Under the current law, a Tanzanian who adopts the citizenship of another country is automatically stripped of his nationality, which I find to be okay.My worries are how are they going to serve their country better by simply being given dual citizenship?In 2006, the commission recommended amendments to the relevant laws so that Tanzanians can also enjoy dual citizenship.
The Citizen

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