Tanzania’s National Assembly Clerk, Mr Baraka Leonard, has urged parliaments to use international platforms to exchange practical experiences rather than compete over which parliamentary system is superior.
Mr Leonard said the diversity of legislative systems represented at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) provides an opportunity for countries to identify practices that work, understand why they work and consider how they can be adapted to their own institutions.
“We recognise that no Parliament knows everything. Our approach is to learn from others and share experiences,” he said.
He made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing the Meeting of Secretaries General of Parliaments held in Arusha alongside the ongoing IPU Assembly.
Mr Leonard said there was no single parliamentary model that could be regarded as the best, noting that countries have developed different systems based on their political and institutional circumstances.
“When we look at the different parliamentary systems represented here, we are reminded that there is no single system that is the best,” he said.
“Some of you have bicameral systems, while others, like Tanzania, have a unicameral Parliament. This diversity is what makes this association so important.”
He said the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments provides a platform for parliamentary officials to exchange experience on legislative procedures, institutional continuity, support for lawmakers and adapting to changing public expectations.
Mr Leonard said Tanzania’s Parliament was also responding to changes in technology and growing demands for greater transparency and public access.
He pointed to the e-Parliament system, which allows Members of Parliament to access documents electronically and conduct parliamentary work with reduced reliance on paper.
“Tanzania’s Parliament has embraced digital systems through the e-Parliament system, which enables Members of Parliament to access documents online and work without paper,” he said.
The Clerk said the National Assembly had also expanded public access to parliamentary proceedings through Parliament Television and social media platforms.
“Parliamentary sessions are broadcast through Parliament Television and social medi