Nairobi, Feb. 25 -- The constant theme serving as the soundtrack for the continuing demonstrations of Tanzania's main opposition party Chadema has been the call for a new constitution.

It will be remembered that this was Chadema's, and other opposition parties', rallying cry before 2011, when President Jakaya Kikwete surprised everyone by announcing that he was choosing retired attorney-general and respected former prime minister Joseph Warioba to head a team of luminaries who would propose a new constitution.

That this was not in the ruling party's campaign manifesto was obvious, but what was not was why Kikwete had chosen this path. Some detractors said he was looking to steal the opposition's thunder, some even suggesting he was taki...