Mgawanyo wa madaraka

Mgawanyo wa madaraka ni fundisho la kisiasa linalotaka katika dola lolote itofautishwe mikono au mihimili 3 ya mamlaka.

Hiyo mihimili mitatu ni:

• bunge au mamlaka ya kutunga sheria
• serikali au mamlaka ya utendaji inayotekeleza sheria
• mahakama au mamlaka ya kuamulia sheria

Hoja ya msingi ni kugawanya madaraka kati ya mikono mbalimbali inayotakiwa kutazamiana, kurekebishana na kusaidiana.

Wafuasi wa fundisho hili huona kwamba haki za watu huwa salama katika mfumo huu kuliko penye ile ambamo mamlaka yote imo katika mkono mmoja jinsi ilivyo katika hali ya udikteta.

Serikali inatawala kwa kutumia sheria lakini haiwezi kutunga sheria peke yake zitakazoongeza mno mamlaka yake.

Bunge linatunga sheria lakini haliwezi kufaidika na utekelezaji yake moja kwa moja.

Mahakama inaangalia sheria na kuamua juu ya matumizi yake. Inatakiwa kuzuia serikali inapokwenda nje ya sheria.

Mgawanyo wa madaraka si jambo jipya katika historia. Ulijitokeza tayari katika Ugiriki ya Kale.

Jamii kadhaa za Afrika zilipakana mamlaka ya chifu kwa kumpa sharti la kuelewana na washauri au baraza la wazee kwa mipango muhimu.

Fundisho la kisasa lilitungwa na Mfaransa Charles-Louis Montesquieu katika kitabu chake "De l'ésprit des lois" (Kuhusu roho ya sheria) alichokitoa mwaka 1748.

Marekani na Ufaransa zilikuwa nchi za kwanza zilizoingiza mfumo huo katika katiba zao.

Siku hizi ni nchi nyingi duniani zinazofuata mfumo huo.

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