Tanzanians are watching with keen interest the progress of the two parliamentary by-elections in two constituencies, Busanda on the Mainland and Magogoni Zanzibar. They have every good reason to do so. First of all, the by-elections are being held almost at the same time on both the Mainland and Zanzibar, which gives these elections a Union outlook.
Secondly, they would serve as a litmus test for next year’s general elections judging from their conduct. It needs not belabor the fact that all elections are supposed to be free, fair and transparent. Elections are a key component in the life of any nation. Failed elections are ingredient for chaos and anarchy, God forbid.
In a latest much reported move, the Roman Catholic Church has decided to conduct extensive civic education ahead of next year’s polls, which political analysts have welcomed, albeit cautiously. There has been some opposition too as a Muslim body thinks the Church is attempting to narrow the people’s choice. The Church wants the people to pick ideal leaders.
The project was launched in January by an RC affiliated body, Christian Professionals of Tanzania (CPT). Commenting on the by-elections, some political analysts have described them as a true test of next year’s general elections in which voters will vote for councilors, MPs, Representatives (Zanzibar) and Zanzibar and Union presidents – of their choice.
The by-elections, being held following the deaths of the incumbents, are contested by several political parties in constituencies that were held by CCM candidates. The pressure is therefore on CCM to regain the two seats as the opposition struggles to turn the tables and increase their number in Parliament.
It seems that the two by-elections won’t be an easy ride there. There have been complaints from all participating parties, all accusing each other of indulging in election irregularities. Some incidents of election violence have also been reported, especially in Busanda, with each participating party accusing each other of starting it.
In Magogoni, the main opposition contenders, CUF, have cried foul over the permanent voter register and have demanded that it should be displayed again in public for verification purposes before the polls, scheduled for May 23. The Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) has maintained that the release of the register to individual groups or political parties lacked legal backing.
ZEC Director Salum Ali argues that there is normally a specific period when the voter register is displayed for verification. He has pointed out that the verification period for the constituency’s by-election has passed. He claims that all political parties taking part in the election were asked to verify and appeal in case of any claims.
The wrangle is typical of Zanzibar during general elections. In fact, all the previous general elections – in 1995, 2000 and 2005 – were marred by both pre-election and post-election violence in which lives were lost and many injured.
That is why the by-elections in Magogoni have attracted nationwide interest, with many waiting to see how they would fare. Political analysts hope that the polls will provide an insight into the conduct of next year’s general elections in Zanzibar.
Magogoni is on Unguja Island where, except for Mji Mkongwe constituency, all seats in both Zanzibar House of Representatives and the Union Parliament are held by CCM candidates. During the 1995 and 2005 elections, CUF dominated in Pemba Island, taking all the Zanzibar House and Union House seats.
Though not a good term or precedence for a true and vibrant democracy, Unguja is thus a CCM stronghold while Pemba is a CUF stronghold. Although the factors behind this state of affairs are better known to Zanzibaris themselves, Pemba residents would be quick to claim that the government in Unguja, the isles’ seat of power, has marginalised the clove island for many years.
They would point at the poor infrastructure, including road infrastructure, poor health and education facilities and use of most cash from cloves, Zanzibar’s major cash crop and top foreign exchange earner, to develop Unguja. This has been denied by the government, who point out that it has not sidelined Pemba but has instead done a lot to bring about development in the island.
In all three multi-party general elections in Zanzibar, CUF have claimed victory, charging that CCM fine-tuned results to claim victory. Most CUF members believe that Mr Seif Sharrif Hamad, the party’s secretary general, should have been Zanzibar president since 1995.
The Busanda and Magogoni by-elections thus provide Tanzania, and Zanzibar, a good opportunity to prove to the world once again that theirs is a peaceful country one that aspired to build a true and vibrant democracy. The conduct of these polls, coming closer to 2010, will provide a sign of things to come next year.
Election time bickering, accusations of poll irregularities, political violence, suppression of right of expression and unfair treatment of participating parties serve no good purpose other than showing the world that Tanzania still lags far behind in the global effort to build democracy. For how long will the nation’s insistence as an island of peace hold?
All parties have notably sent their most influential leaders to campaign for their candidates in the two constituencies. There is nothing wrong with that only that the presence of top government officials who are also top officials in their parties should not influence the final result.
Allegations of widespread corruption include vote buying have been rife in past elections. There has been some truth in this – to an extent. This is another area that the government, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and ZEC must seriously address to bring about a level playing field.
Democracy is about choosing the best candidate who can deliver the required goods and not one who has money to buy any voter. It is everyone’s hope that Tanzanians are wiser this time.
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